ADVER TISEMENT FEA TURE
Trialling a new recycling process
Tosoh discovered a partner, Enval Limited who is a UK-based technology and waste management company (
www.enval.com) with a unique technology using pyrolysis to recycle our buffer pouches back to their core material (Oils and Aluminium).
To ensure this worked, Tosoh approached Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board’s Pathology department, whose services are based in three acute hospital sites in North Wales - all with Tosoh equipment - to see if they would assist by trialling this new recycling process.
Dave Lamping (Pathology Contracts Manager) was approached, and the project discussed. The three sites were happy to participate as the Health Board was also actively looking at the environmental impact of supply chains within NHS Wales Shared Services Partnership (NWSSP).
During the trial, the three NHS pathology laboratories across the Health Board collected their used Tosoh buffer pouches for three months. These were collated on one site and sent to the recycling partner.
The process (see figure 2) firstly shreds the pouches, followed by pyrolysis at 500o
C. This releases the plastics as gas which is further condensed and distilled into oil. Some of the gases produced are used to generate electricity via the generator powering the pyrolysis operation, while the rest is cooled to oils and resold to petrochemical companies. The aluminium is collected and converted to ingots which is then also resold.
FIGURE 3: BREAKDOWN OF TRIAL SAMPLE
result for the trial project. From our perspective, a yield of 75% plastic, and 15% mass back into aluminium with a very small material loss is an amazing result for something that would have otherwise been incinerated. Obviously that ‘loss’ also goes towards generating the electricity to drive the process as well; so it’s a really efficient process from an engineering standpoint.”
Next steps FIGURE 2 Trial results
Approximately 150 buffer pouches were collected weighing 2kgs. From this, 300g of aluminium was extracted, which equates to 96% of the available aluminium recovered. Of the plastic, 75% of the total trial sample was plastic which was converted into oil, with 10% used to generate electricity for the process. Breakdown of the trial sample results is shown in figure 3.
The Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board were informed of these results, and Dave Lamping commented: “This is an absolutely fantastic
The recycling trial is a success. Martin Allen, Tosoh Bioscience Diagnostics Regional Sales Manager UK, Ireland and Iceland, said: “Tosoh is now able to offer a closed loop supply of products to our customers. Tosoh can ship product and take responsibility for the deconstruction of the used buffer pouches, allowing the raw materials back into the supply chain. There is no longer a requirement or burden on the NHS pathology laboratories waste management systems to send the used Tosoh buffer pouches for incineration or landfill, eliminating the carbon footprint associated with these disposal processes. This meets both of the stated goals of the project.” Martin additionally stated:” I would like to thank Dave Lamping and all the laboratory team across the Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board for helping to make the trial a success. This project would not have been possible without their support”.
Tosoh is proud to be an active partner and at the forefront of helping the NHS to achieve carbon net zero. This environmental contribution will now be offered to all Tosoh UK customers with no financial burden. Tosoh will continue to look for further reductions in the carbon footprint created both within the business and by our customers. It’s a continuous journey.
Reference
1. Greener NHS, Delivering a net zero NHS (
https://www.england.nhs.uk/ greenernhs/a-net-zero-nhs/
If you would like to utilise the service, please contact
stephanie.shaw@
tosoh.com for full details of how to become part of helping the NHS to reach net zero status one buffer pouch at a time!
www.diagnostics.eu.tosohbioscience.com
Image courtesy of Enval Ltd
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