Sustainable polymer company Aquapak has donated 46,500 water-soluble infection control laundry bags to frontline NHS health and social care workers to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the workplace.
Made from the company’s polymer technology Hydropol™, the laundry bags allow workers to remove their work clothes in their workplace and put them straight in the washing machine when they get home without exposing their home or others to the coronavirus.
Hydropol™ is made from polyvinyl alcohol, a water-soluble polymer available in pellet form, allowing it to be used in a range of applications. The bags dissolve in a 60ºC wash cycle in the washing machine without producing persistent microplastics or toxins.
Distributed free of charge to hospitals, GP surgeries and hospices across Birmingham, Newcastle, the Midlands, Norfolk and West Yorkshire, Aquapak’s UK packaging conversion partner Echo Packaging and others outside the UK are ready to produce more bags as needed for frontline workers. The company is actively seeking additional converters to increase its bag production capacity.
Jacqui Smith, Chair of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, which has received 12,000 bags, said: “We’re grateful for the support of Aquapak in providing these innovative bags to our staff. They have been working round the clock to care for patients and to build our capacity in these very difficult times. Being able to use these bags is providing reassurance for staff and supporting them to do their best for our patients.”
Lisa Stalley Green, Executive Chief Nurse at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, added: “On behalf of University Hospitals Birmingham I would like to thank Aquapak for their kind donation of laundry bags to our frontline staff.
“I am so proud and full of admiration for the staggering and ongoing effort from all of our staff to treat and protect our patients, our staff and all our families in the battle against coronavirus. All of the donations we have received have made such a difference to us in so many ways. The laundry bags have helped to provide our staff with reassurance and elevate some of the pressures during this unprecedented time.”
Aquapak CEO Mark Lapping said: “In this time of national crisis we were keen to do whatever we could to help our fantastic key workers. Over the coming weeks it is incumbent on all of us in business to do whatever we can to support frontline workers delivering world class care to our most vulnerable people”.
The use of disposable laundry bags has also been recommended for frontline waste workers, with the latest Waste Industry Safety and Health Forum (WISH) Covid-19 safety guidance.
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