Recycling of Polymers From Healthcare Waste

Abstract The German healthcare sector generates considerable amounts of plastic waste, which is currently disposed of primarily through incineration. This applies not only to plastics in general hospital waste, but also to infectious medical waste (waste code 18 01 03*/European Waste Catalogue (EWC)), even though it could be recycled from a merely technical point of view. The objective of this study was to investigate the recyclability of polymers in healthcare waste, focusing on infectious healthcare waste in Germany. To this end, the polymers in sterilized wastes were analyzed, separated by density separation, recycled, and underwent rheological, mechanical, and carbonyl index testing. Material analysis results were compared with PP/PE model blends, and compatibilizers’ effects on the materials properties were studied as well. Results showed a hospital waste polyolefin content of 74–92% (w/w) in the sieve fractions examined, with polypropylene accounting for 67–78% (w/w). The polyolefin fraction obtained through density separation was recycled by regranulation. Compared to comparable virgin PP/PE model blends, the recyclates exhibited higher melt flow rates. At the same time, tensile strengths of 17.3–21.3 MPa and elongation at break of 207–470% were achieved. Additional melt filtration improved the ductility of the recycled materials in particular, while the use of compatibilizers increased the elongation at break to up to 519%. The results show that sterilized, formerly infectious healthcare waste contains a polyolefin-rich fraction that can reasonably be recycled.