Recycling of SutureTOOL™ – Exploring Circularity in Healthcare
Healthcare systems around the world rely heavily on single-use medical devices to ensure patient safety and clinical efficiency. While these products play a critical role in modern medicine, they also contribute significantly to the growing challenge of healthcare waste. Every year, millions of tons of plastic waste are generated by the healthcare sector, creating an urgent need for sustainable solutions that can reduce environmental impact without compromising safety or performance.
The ENTRANCE project was established to explore whether a circular recycling model can be developed for SutureTOOL™, a single-use medical device used for fascial closure. The project brings together expertise in medical technology, logistics, polymer recycling, and environmental assessment to investigate the technical, operational, and environmental feasibility of such a solution.
Funded through the Eurostars programme, with support from the EUREKA network and the European Union's Horizon Europe framework, the project aims to evaluate the entire lifecycle of the devicefrom production and clinical use to collection, processing, and material recovery.
The concept is based on creating a closed-loop system in which used SutureTOOL devices are collected after clinical use and processed through a specialized recycling pathway. Following sterilization, disassembly, and material separation, the plastic components are upcycled into high-quality recycled raw materials that can potentially be reintroduced into new manufacturing processes.
A key aspect of the project is understanding the broader environmental impact of this approach. Through a comprehensive life cycle assessment, the project evaluates how circular solutions can contribute to reduced waste generation, lower carbon emissions, and improved resource efficiency across the healthcare value chain.
Beyond the development of a recycling process, ENTRANCE serves as a research initiative exploring how circular economy principles can be applied to medical devices that have traditionally been considered difficult or impossible to recycle. The project seeks to generate knowledge, data, and practical insights that may support future sustainability efforts within healthcare and medical technology.
As healthcare organizations worldwide continue to pursue ambitious environmental goals, projects such as ENTRANCE provide an opportunity to better understand how innovation, patient safety, and sustainability can be integrated into the next generation of healthcare systems.
This news is from Suturion, a member of NCSH.
