The prominent shoe manufacturer has redirected recycled material, earmarked for the production of new Nike Air soles, into the production of personal protective gear.īatelle, a non-profit institute engaged in scientific research, developed a way to decontaminate N95 masks using vaporized hydrogen peroxide. Nike is another example of firms using this principle to full effect in the fight against the pandemic. Since the machines expose plastics to temperatures over 200 degrees Celsius, the recycled plastics are sterilized in the process, adding the benefit of cleansing these used and shredded plastics for reuse later. Several European economies are now using these machines, capable of producing protective masks 75 times faster than a 3D printer, to supplement declining supplies. Some producers of protective and medical equipment are using machines developed by Precious Plastic, an open-source hardware plastic recycling initiative, to turn recycled plastic into face shields and masks. In response, a few businesses have been applying innovative circular-economy principles that, yes, reduce waste, but that also address short-term supply shortages. The constrained supply, coupled with increased demand due to the pandemic, has inadvertently led to shortages of critical medical supplies needed in the battle against COVID-19. Some exporters of medical products, such as face masks and other personal protective equipment, have imposed export bans and other restrictions to ensure domestic supply. You can already see small examples of this being demonstrated in the way some businesses have taken to innovation to compensate for shortages during lockdown conditions. But if implemented effectively, a circular economy, or at least the principles that form its building blocks, contributes not only to environmental concerns but also to mitigating the immediate and long-term detrimental effects of waste on the economy and the well-being of people. Getting there will be a slow and deliberate process. It stands in stark contrast to the more familiar linear economy model, which disposes materials after a single use.Ī transition to this system would be, for many, a departure from long-held norms. Some economies looking to tackle the waste crisis, including this year’s host, have looked into the concept of a circular economy-a system that eliminates waste, keeps materials in use and regenerates natural systems. Infographic: Pivoting to a Circular Economy The policies we set today will determine the extent to which our activities will contaminate the atmosphere, poison our food and water supplies and affect industries such as tourism and fisheries, in the future. Anyone familiar with the Great Pacific Garbage Patch would acknowledge that the current waste issue is a major problem that is worsening by the day. The looming environmental crisis is just as global and even potentially more permanent and damaging than any pandemic. Innovative businesses have since come up with more efficient ways to produce and reuse more personal protective equipment in response to lockdowns and supply shortage. Protective masks are sterilized under ultraviolet light for disinfection and reuse.
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