According to the Healthcare Environmental Resource Center, healthcare facilities create close to two billion pounds of paper and cardboard waste every year. With the coronavirus pandemic of 2020, paper waste has significantly increased. Covid-19, which causes the coronavirus, is very infectious, which means that hospitals and doctors are seeing a dramatic increase in patients. Paper gowns, paper masks, paper on the examination tables, and even paper that wraps bandages and other supplies are being used much more because of this pandemic. Using recycled paper that has been through a sterilization process to make more of these paper products helps with protecting the environment, with alleviating the shortage of paper products, and in keeping recyclable material out of the waste stream.
Shredding your documents, whether you fill up our locked containers daily, weekly or monthly – or you are an individual who uses our services only a couple of times per year – helps to keep your personal and corporate identity safe, and is also helping provide the recyclable material paper mills need to make some of these essential medical products.
Essential Medical Products
Many essential medical products are now disposable. Instead of taking a chance of equipment not being properly sterilized, medical facilities use disposable products. These products are wrapped in paper to keep them sterilized. Also, the paper on exam benches, paper robes, and many other items found in a healthcare setting made from paper can be made from recycled paper.
Companies such as Domtar make medical papers for gowns and other items. Though the process for some special medical papers is more costly than making plain paper items, it does save medical facilities money in the long run since they don’t have to wash and otherwise maintain cloth gowns and other items. Additionally, if non-disposable items are not properly sanitized, it is possible to spread bacterial or viral illnesses.
Reducing Paper Waste
Not only is the office paper that we shred and recycle being used in hospitals, but it is also used to make many of the recycled paper products people everywhere are using to help fight this outbreak. Your shredded documents are recycled and shipped to paper mills such as Kimberly Clark, to make essential products for both the home and the hospital. Paper towels, napkins, toilet paper, and more are just a few basic everyday items in incredibly high demand right now that our material is used to make. These are all essential items that have become scarce during this outbreak. By shredding with Royal Document Destruction, you are not only taking steps to secure your information and identity, but also helping provide essential recyclable material in a time of need.
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When you shred your documents, you not only protect your customers’ information – and yours — from getting into identity thieves’ hands, but you are contributing to the tons of recycled paper needed to make packaging, home necessities and other supplies for medical facilities. Shredding sensitive documents also helps to keep businesses in compliance with federal regulations, including HIPAA and other privacy laws.
Contact Royal Document Destruction for shredding services to keep your documents secure and to help protect the environment.
