Ansell is proud to introduce the Sustainable Manufacturing Podcast, where thought leaders in the healthcare industry explore the latest innovations in ecofriendly business models and solutions.
Medical manufacturing, distribution, and supply operations have significant impacts on the natural environment. Recognizing the importance of sustainable practices, healthcare industry leaders are increasingly adopting environmentally beneficial initiatives to reduce their environmental footprint while embracing environmental responsibility.
In the podcast, Artha Salgado, Director of Environmental Sustainability at Ansell, discussed how stakeholders can ignite a mindset of change in the medical industry toward a sustainable future.
Ansell, a global safety solutions organization that specializes in personal protective equipment for the healthcare industry. Ansell prioritizes environmental sustainability and strives to integrate environmentally beneficial practices throughout company operations. The manufacturer also focuses sustainability initiatives on overall energy and emissions, water stewardship, zero waste in manufacturing facilities, biodiversity impacts, and sustainable packaging, with a commitment to achieve net-zero carbon emissions and source 100% of electricity from renewable sources by 2040.
Waste Reduction
Waste produced as a result of medical industry operations have a substantial impact on the environment. Implementing waste reduction tactics within the industry starts at the source. Employees at Ansell are engaged in a culture and mindset of sustainability throughout all steps of the manufacturing process.
“We focus quite significantly on segregation and source for waste reduction. We try to minimize the material that is being used, thereby also minimizing shipping volumes. We make sure that more packaging material or more product is going into containers. When the packaging comes to our end users or our customers, we make sure that we are giving them the most sustainable packaging options available to optimize their utilization,” said Salgado.
Sustainable Surgical Materials
An important aspect of sustainability in surgical material manufacturing lies in the production of surgical materials. Surgical material manufacturing can be more sustainable through a focus on minimizing material used, decreasing shipping volumes, and using recycled packaging options. Also, if a company prioritizes sustainability initiatives on an overall scale, such as through efficient energy use, waste reduction, and sustainable packaging, then in turn, all individual medical products are manufactured with a sustainability focus.
“If we were to shift all our electricity to renewables in one of our manufacturing facilities, the environmental impact of the product that is manufactured in that facility becomes small automatically. And it’s not just one product line, it’s everything that is manufactured there,” said Salgado.
The healthcare industry has become increasingly interdependent and connected. Ansell’s sustainability efforts have resounding impacts throughout the med-surg industry, and their partners have also begun reporting and disclosing encouraging emissions, water, and waste reduction efforts.
“As an organization, we can directly influence what happens during the manufacturing phase, then we can influence what happens upstream in terms of the raw materials, and then we can engage with customers and end users when it comes to an end-of-life part of the process. Ansell applies these environmental commitments to all our manufacturing sites, irrespective of whether it is surgical, industrial or life sciences,” said Salgado.
Ansell is proud to introduce the Sustainable Manufacturing Podcast, where thought leaders in the healthcare industry explore the latest innovations in ecofriendly business models and solutions. Learn more insights on how to reduce waste and carbon emissions, all while maintain the highest quality standards.
Learn more insights on how to reduce waste and carbon emissions, all while maintain the highest quality standards.
Join us as we pave the way for a healthier and more sustainable future in healthcare. Listen to the podcast now!