ST. PAUL, Minn. — April 6, 2011 — Eight brand-leading companies across healthcare, recycling and
waste management industries have come together to form a technical coalition seeking to inspire and
enable sustainable, cost effective recycling solutions for plastic products and materials used in
the delivery of healthcare. The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) is made up of members
from Becton, Dickinson and Company, Cardinal Health, Engineered Plastics, DuPont, Hospira, Johnson
& Johnson, Kimberly Clark and Waste Management.
Understanding that the potential for plastics recycling is significant to both reducing
environmental and human health impacts, HPRC exists in a collaborative effort to be a change agent
for sustainable healthcare product and packaging lifecycle with the end goal of increasing the
overall recycling of healthcare plastics. HPRC is unique in its focus on identification of plastics
recycling barriers and solution development along the entire value chain, seeking to affect
plastics recycling from healthcare product design and manufacturing through product use, disposal
and recycle.
HPRC is currently engaged in three initiatives aimed at enabling recycling of select
plastics. The first initiative, healthcare plastics value chain mapping, is focused on defining the
healthcare value chain and identifying issues and barriers along the value chain that disable
plastics recycling. The second initiative, design for recycling guidelines, is focused on
developing a document that articulates product and packaging design considerations that could
enhance recycling potential and value. The third initiative, pilot study programs within healthcare
facilities, is focused on building a datamodel to facilitate economic analysis of plastics
recycling. For more information visit
www.hprc.org.
Posted on April 6, 2011
Source: Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council
