Envetec Sustainable Technologies Limited ("Envetec"), today announced the launch of its GENERATIONS™ technology, a breakthrough cleantech solution that safely treats biohazardous waste and materials including plastics, glass, PPE, sharps containers, and other general laboratory consumables on-site at source.
Envetec is a pioneer in environmentally friendly, cleantech solutions engineered for laboratories in the diagnostic, pharmaceutical, medical device, and food and beverage industries. With the introduction of GENERATIONS, Envetec becomes the world's first and only cleantech company with a validated technology providing treatment at source to eliminate the existing harmful treatment and disposal of biohazardous waste and materials.
"Today, as Ireland and the rest of the world recognizes Earth Day 2022 with a bold rallying call to 'Invest in Our Planet,' I'm proud to announce the launch of our breakthrough GENERATIONS technology, which is redefining the way industry thinks about the growing problem of treating biohazardous waste material," said Malcolm Bell, Chairman and CEO of Envetec. "To solve for this, Envetec has developed a clean technology that empowers laboratories to eliminate their dependence on landfill, incineration, autoclaving, and haulage while making a measurable impact on greenhouse gas emissions."
Laboratories worldwide are under increasing pressure to reduce the volume of biohazardous waste and materials they generate, which are predominantly plastics that can take up to 1,000 years to breakdown in landfill. Unfortunately, laboratories currently have no option but to deploy conventional, unsustainable solutions with limited benefit to the environment.
According to S&P Global Market Intelligence, the healthcare sector contributes 4.4% of global emissions, and that footprint is forecast to triple by 2050. Furthermore, My Green Lab, the leading global non-profit organization committed to sustainability in science, recently published a study finding that just 4% of biopharmaceutical companies are currently on track to meet Paris 2030 climate goals.
The patented GENERATIONS technology simultaneously shreds and disinfects infectious waste and materials directly at the source which can then be recycled. GENERATIONS, which is non-thermal and utilizes a proprietary biodegradable chemical, converts biohazardous waste into a confetti-like material that is entirely safe to handle and transport for recycling.
GENERATIONS is designed to help laboratories begin phasing out today's unsustainable activities, including incineration, autoclaving, landfill, and the public health risk associated with the transportation of biohazardous waste.
Depending on the choices made by each laboratory, the confetti-like material has the potential to become carbon-positive for waste-to-energy or recycling applications. The company believes its technology will enable laboratories to offset the existing inefficiencies of traditional recycling applications while remaining cost neutral or lowering costs. Working with its customers and partners, Envetec's ultimate goal is to convert biohazardous laboratory plastic waste back into reusable laboratory consumables in a sustainable manner.