ISWA is delighted to welcome Envetec as our latest Silver Member.
Envetec is an Irish company with a global vision to create clean change. Envetec’s mission is to revolutionise how laboratories across the life science sector treat biohazardous waste, particularly single-use plastics, significantly transforming how lab environments approach sustainability. Millions of pounds of biohazardous waste are generated and stored for disposal every day.
The majority of this waste will end up being autoclaved, incinerated or both and ultimately will end up in landfill. With laboratories around the world being put under increasing pressure to reduce their carbon emissions, the global impact of traditional biohazardous waste treatment methods has become more apparent than ever. There has been no truly sustainable solution, until now.
Envetec’s GENERATIONS® is a novel, environmentally friendly, clean technology solution engineered for the life science industries. Our validated technology is installed on-site and can enable the recycling of up to 100% of plastics in a safe, effective and environmentally sustainable way. GENERATIONS is non-thermal and utilizes a biodegradable chemical. The system’s unique capabilities convert biohazardous waste into a recyclable flake that is entirely safe for transport and recycling.
The globally accepted efficacy protocol for the treatment of biohazardous waste is STAATT III (4log10 reduction of pathogens). GENERATIONS achieves the superior STAATT IV (6log10 reduction of pathogens) by combining our unique shredding technology and our biodegradable disinfectant solution. The chemical compound used in the treatment process is also used in numerous applications, including as a chemical disinfectant in healthcare, food and water treatment sectors. The shredding process ensures that all parts of the waste is subjected to the chemical treatment process.
Multiple independent, peer-reviewed comparative studies have been carried out on
GENERATIONS, comparing the GENERATIONS process to traditional biohazardous waste treatment methods. The collective data from these independent reports shows that GENERATIONS reduces biohazardous waste-related CO2e emissions by 90% on average when compared to traditional treatment methods. The reports also found additional benefits to treating biohazardous laboratory waste with GENERATIONS, such as:
- GENERATIONS is an essential link in the laboratory plastics recycling chain, astreated plastics are suitable for recycling.
- GENERATIONS used 70% less water per cycle on average compared to on-siteautoclave and rotoclave technologies.
- The GENERATIONS process also reduced transport related emission by over 94%
- Cost centres can now become revenue streams.
- GENERATIONS significantly supports scope 3 initiatives, which were previouslyinaccessible.
Envetec was founded in 2021 as a spin-out from Technopath Clinical Diagnostics, a leader in clinical diagnostics whose clients included global diagnostic companies and clinical laboratories. Envetec’s executive and board have chaired or directed sector appropriate businesses in the past, from world class healthcare companies and pharmaceutical conglomerates to global non-profits and financial services. Our leadership team fosters a passion for excellence, a drive for innovation and a mission that will make a real difference.
“The unsustainable management of biohazardous and regulated medical waste is rapidly becoming a major environmental issue worldwide,” said Malcolm Bell, Chair and CEO of Envetec. “We are dedicated to tackling the root causes of climate change by totally disrupting this space with our clean technology that facilitates the move away from outdated treatment and waste disposal methods, such as landfilling, autoclaving, and incineration. To make this transition happen, we need to pool our strategic resources, and in this regard, the International Solid Waste Association (ISWA) plays a critical role in facilitating significant and meaningful change“
