TRSA Promotes Reusable PPE on Key Healthcare Panel

Liz Remillong, a member of TRSA’s Board of Directors; and Kevin Schwalb, TRSA’s vice president of government relations, spoke at the Fall 2023 meeting of the National Academies’ Standing Committee on Personal Protective Equipment (COPPE) for Workplace Safety and Health on Dec. 14, where a key healthcare panel discussion was held focusing on opportunities to increase reusable PPE textiles in healthcare settings.

TRSA recently enlisted Congress’ help to request that the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) study the benefits and usage of reusable healthcare textiles (HCTs), as part of TRSA’s push for an increased operating threshold of reusable goods in healthcare settings. In response to this congressional inquiry, the CDC’s National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) and its National Personal Protective Technology Laboratory (NPPTL) have partnered with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering and Medicine to organize a public workshop on reusable HCTs for PPE. The event will take place in the spring of 2024, and will focus on examining opportunities to increase the use of HCTs for PPE used in healthcare settings.

In preparation for the National Academies’ Workshop on Reusable Healthcare Textiles for Personal Protective Equipment, a panel discussion was held at the Fall 2023 COPPE meeting. The National Academies invited Remillong and Schwalb to this panel discussion regarding opportunities and considerations related to increasing the use of reusable HCTs. During the discussion, Dr. Selcen Kilinc-Balci, NPPTL, noted that, “greater use of reusable gowns presents opportunities for enhanced pandemic preparedness, reduced environmental impact and reduced cost per use.” She continued, “in multiple life-cycle environmental studies, reusable [isolation and surgical] gowns demonstrate substantial sustainability benefits over disposable products.” Invited panel attendees represented the laundry industry, PPE manufacturers, the healthcare industry, professional industry, and research and academic perspectives. Panelists alike agreed on the resounding advantages of reusables, including reductions in medical waste, greenhouse-gas emissions, and water and energy consumption; lifecycle cost savings; and improved emergency preparedness.

Schwalb fielded questions and concerns regarding the increased implementation of reusables in the healthcare setting. Regarding cleanliness, Schwalb asserted that, “TRSA’s Hygienically Clean standard certifies that laundered HCTs provide equal, if not superior, protection for healthcare workers and patients compared to disposables.” With respect to access and scalability, Schwalb assured that, “our members have access to every hospital in America.” Both supplier partners and operators are eager to scale to meet increased market demands. According to Remillong, a vice president at Crothall Healthcare, “healthcare processing laundries are ready, willing and capable of processing reusables for the healthcare industry.”

TRSA has driven this effort to increase the reusable market share, and continues to earn a seat at the table to advocate for the linen, uniform and facility services industry. Schwalb serves on the NPPTL Advisory Committee and continues to represent the industry’s voice in legislative and regulatory affairs.

“This workshop is the result of TRSA’s legislative activity and shows the importance of members of the industry being involved in the policy process,” Schwalb said. “TRSA’s Legislative Conference is the best opportunity to move policy forward.”

Questions? Contact Schwalb at kschwalb@trsa.org.