Page 28 - OHS, May 2021

PPE: HAND PROTECTION
The combination of increasing sustainability commitments
by companies and available advancing technology means that we can expect sustainable PPE will be a longstanding industry trend.
a landfifill where they will degrade over hundreds of years. A typical nitrile glove will take 200 hundred years to decompose in a landfill. New technologies provide accelerated biodegradation of nitrile gloves. One example, a technology platform provides an additive to the nitrile compound used in the production of single-use gloves. The degradation technology only activates once the glove is exposed to landfill conditions (combined high heat, high moisture, no light,
limited oxygen). ThThe result is nitrile gloves will degrade in less than 12 years (ASTM-D5526)–all without any loss in glove performance. Furthermore, these gloves release CH4 (methane) gas when decomposing that can be reclaimed as a source for clean inexpensive energy. ThThe Clean Air Act requires all landfifills to reclaim methane and other greenhouse gases and either burn the gas or use the gas to create energy. We now have a new circular economy for nitrile glove waste. Gloves are worn and disposed at point of use, collected and transported to municipal landfills that are designed capture off gassing of methane as that trash decomposes – ultimately that methane gas is used to generate clean energy that powers our homes, businesses and communities. The additive technology is now being applied to both the yarn and the palm coating to produce fully biodegradable seamless knit gloves. These technologies are just the start of a new category of PPE offerings with sustainability benefits.
Going forward, the combination of increasing sustainability commitments by companies and available advancing technology means that we can expect sustainable PPE will be a longstanding industry trend.
Rodney Taylor, MS, MBA currently serves as Director of Sales, US for Watson Gloves. He has over 20 years of experience in the safety industry. In addition, Rodney serves as a Trustee of the International Safety Equipment Association (ISEA) and is former Vice-President of the International Glove Association.
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