MED-X: LEADING SUSTAINABLE CHANGE IN MEDICAL WASTE MANAGEMENT
Med-X Healthcare Solutions, a specialist clinical waste and hygiene solutions service provider founded in 2017, has made significant inroads into providing circular economy solutions for the medical waste industry. The company is becoming known for its sustainable and innovative approach to waste transformation initiatives. In an Australian first, Med-X has developed a 100% recyclable single-use sharps container system, aptly named SharpCYCLE™ which is revolutionising the sharps container market.
The recovery of single-use sharps containers has been pioneered through Med-X’s investment in engineering processes whereby collected single-use containers are decanted, separated from their contents, treated and then granulated. The SharpCYCLE™ recycling system is scheduled to be in operation by the end of 2024.
Med-X has partnered with local Australian recyclers and plastic moulding companies to utilise extruded plastic pellets generated by the SharpCYCLE™ process, in the manufacture of other recycled products. Plastic pallets, sanitary waste containers, plant pots and paint pails are just some of the recycled by-products which will be produced by the SharpCYCLE™ circular economy.
Through the ground-breaking SharpCYCLE™ recycling system, the clinical waste segment represented by single use sharps containers will be almost fully recoverable and diverted from landfill. It is estimated that this recovery system will reduce sharps container landfill volumes by over 28%. Med-X believes that this percentage will certainly grow as the market moves to the single-use container system now that there is a sustainable, recycled alternative. Although there are good reasons to use single use virgin plastic in sterile environments, the issue, up until now has been the disposal methods both of which negatively impact our environment: incineration adding greenhouse emissions and/or landfill, contaminating our ground and water.
Investment in sustainable technologies such as SharpCYCLE™ comes as little surprise to those who know that Med-X and sister-company Shred-X are subsidiaries of Freightways Limited, a publicly listed New Zealand company with a strong commitment to carbon reduction and waste transformation. Shred-X was born of the paper recovery industry over 20 years ago, so the company’s roots are firmly planted in sustainability and remain its mission today.
Staying true to its heritage, Med-X continues to ensure ethical disposal and wherever possible divert treated waste from landfill, finding innovative ways to transform waste into new products. From rethinking eco-friendly procedures and landfill diversion opportunities within the industry, Med-X also recycle medical equipment. The treated and shredded product is recovered by local recyclers, leading to a reduction in disposal costs and landfill volumes.