Modular laundry system could help reduce medical textile waste

St Michael’s Hospital in Hayle is the first to process its reusable facemasks, surgical gowns, operating theatre drapes and other PPE items through the new laundry system.

The existing solution providers for reusable PPE process all regulated medical textiles in large, centralised laundry facilities, which aids industrial efficiencies but can lead to time delays, plus transport and carbon costs.

The modular laundry system is mobile and designed for transport by truck. Unlike traditional concrete and steel builds, the modules can be built on site in three months and installed by connection to services in two to three days.

To run the modular units an advanced IT system is used to allow for tracking, training, quality assurance and reporting of asset controls, plus economic and environmental impact.

The washing and drying machines within the pod have been designed to be as sustainable as feasible by Electrolux Professional, and are 100 per cent electric, while the dryers are heat-pump units for added energy efficiency. Dr Tom Dawson, founder of Revolution-Zero and Visiting Research Fellow at Exeter University’s Business School explained that healthcare or industrial laundries use gas and oil for heating.