Hospital Plastic Waste Recycling: How Sterimelt Turns Blue Wrap into Reusable Products

Key Takeaways

• Hospitals generate large volumes of single-use polypropylene wrap that usually ends up in landfill or incineration.

• Sterimelt melts and sanitises this wrap onsite, compressing it into dense, reusable polypropylene blocks.

• These blocks can be reprocessed via injection moulding or extrusion to create products like trays, packaging, and plastic wood.

• Plastic wood made from Sterimelt polypropylene is durable, pest-resistant, and reduces reliance on timber.

• Blending recycled polypropylene with virgin plastic (up to 25%) lowers costs while maintaining product strength.

• Using Sterimelt reduces transport, disposal, and processing costs for hospitals.

• The global medical plastics market reached USD 52.9 billion in 2023 and USD 57.2 billion in 2024.

• Sterimelt supports a circular economy by turning disposal costs into sustainable, manufacturing-ready resources.

From Medical Waste to Manufacturing Gold: How Sterimelt Transforms Polypropylene into Valuable Products

Hospitals in the UK, US, Africa, and the Middle East are adopting onsite recycling to meet sustainability targets under the NHS Net Zero Strategy.

Hospital plastic waste recycling

In the fight against plastic pollution, one of the biggest hidden contributors is the healthcare sector. Hospitals generate vast amounts of single-use plastic waste, especially from sterile wraps made of polypropylene. Traditionally, these end up in landfills or incinerators but what if there was a smarter way to reuse them?

According to the World Health Organization, around 85% of healthcare waste is general non-hazardous material, while 15% is hazardous and requires special handling 

Sterimelt, a ground-breaking technology, provides a solution for dealing with the type of plastic waste no one recycles, such as single-use hospital blue wrap

This blog explores how Sterimelt machines work, what they produce, and how industries can use these outputs to build a more sustainable future.

Let’s dive into how Sterimelt is turning plastic waste into manufacturing gold.

What Is the Sterimelt Machine and How Does It Work?

Sterimelt is an innovative machine designed to tackle a very specific type of waste: the polypropylene-based sterilisation wrap used in hospitals. 

By recycling blue wrap from hospitals directly onsite, Sterimelt eliminates transport and processing costs

Every day, thousands of operating theatres across the world discard this wrap after a single use, even though it’s made of high-quality, recyclable plastic. 

This article on why most plastic isn’t recycled make for an interesting read.

Sterimelt changes this story.

The machine melts and sanitises used sterile wrap onsite, compressing it into dense blocks of purified polypropylene. These blocks can then be used in industrial manufacturing — either alone or blended with virgin plastic — to produce a wide range of plastic goods.

Why is this significant? Because Sterimelt doesn't just recycle — it simplifies the entire process. It reduces the need for transport, sorting, or washing. Hospitals don’t need to ship waste to third-party recyclers.

The process is:

• Onsite: Installed directly in the hospital

• Self-contained: Melts and sanitises in one step

• Efficient: Creates stackable blocks ready for industry use

Here’s a breakdown of what makes the machine so useful:

Feature	Benefit
Accepts used sterilisation wrap	Diverts healthcare waste from landfill or incineration
Melts and sanitises in one step	Reduces processing costs and risks
Produces dense polypropylene blocks	High-quality material ready for reuse
Compact and hospital-friendly design	No need for separate recycling partnerships

What Can Be Made from Sterimelt Polypropylene Blocks?

Polypropylene is one of the most versatile plastics used today. The blocks generated by Sterimelt can be reintroduced into the manufacturing cycle using two common techniques: injection moulding and extrusion.

Injection Moulding

Injection moulding is a manufacturing process where melted plastic is injected into a mould to form products. Sterimelt polypropylene blocks can be granulated and then melted down for this purpose.

For example, a sample tray can be created from 30 recycled sterilisation wrap sheets. It’s strong, lightweight, and cost-effective,  perfect for both medical and industrial applications.

Examples of injection moulded products:

• Medical trays

• Instrument containers

• Industrial parts

• Packaging components

Extrusion

Extrusion involves forcing melted plastic through a die to create items with a fixed cross-section. A notable application is “plastic wood”, a sustainable alternative to traditional timber.

Plastic wood made from Sterimelt polypropylene can be used for:

• Fence posts

• Decking

• Outdoor furniture

• Playground equipment

Benefits of Plastic Wood:

• Long-lasting and durable

• Chemical- and maintenance-free

• Resistant to rot and pests

• Reduces demand for deforestation

Why Recycled Polypropylene Beats Virgin Plastic (and Timber)

Sterimelt blocks don’t just reduce waste, they make products more affordable and environmentally sound.  Sterimelt acts as a commercial waste solution for hard-to-recycle plastics, turning them into reusable polypropylene blocks. Sterimelt acts as a commercial waste solution for hard-to-recycle plastics, turning them into reusable polypropylene blocks. Learn more about technologies to reduce landfill costs and how they help healthcare organisations cut emissions.

Many manufacturers blend recycled polypropylene with virgin plastic (up to 25%) to maintain product strength while reducing costs. This blend is not only effective but also improves the lifecycle sustainability of the final product.

By turning plastic into building material like fence posts and decking, Sterimelt reduces demand for timber.

Quick Comparison:

• Virgin plastic: costly, high emissions

• Recycled polypropylene: cost-saving, circular economy-friendly

• Timber: environmental deforestation risk

• Plastic wood: sustainable, long-lasting, and low maintenance

Environmental and Economic Impact

Sterimelt supports a circular economy by giving single-use plastic a second life. For hospitals, this means turning a disposal cost into a sustainability asset. For manufacturers, it creates an affordable, eco-friendly material stream.  Our blog on plastic to wood recycling models in Africa reflects this, Sterimelt aligns with Africa’s growing demand for plastic pollution solutions by providing feedstock for plastic wood.

The global medical plastics market was valued at USD 52.9 billion in 2023 and reached USD 57.2 billion in 2024, according to Grand View Research.  You can read here to find out more on hospital blue wrap recylcing.

Benefits include:

• Reduced plastic sent to landfill

• Less incineration (and less toxic air pollution)

• Reduced carbon footprint from timber substitution

• On-site operation cuts transportation and logistics costs

• Lower material costs by supplementing virgin plastics

Mini-Case Example (hypothetical):  

Hospital X implemented Sterimelt and processed 3 tonnes of used wrap per year. Instead of paying for waste disposal, they produced polypropylene blocks used by a local fence manufacturer, resulting in reduced environmental fees and increased community goodwill.

This process supports a true medical waste circular economy by giving single-use plastics a second life

Conclusion

Sterimelt is more than just a machine, it’s a sustainability tool for the future. By helping hospitals transform waste into manufacturing-grade plastic, it closes the loop on single-use plastics and supports a circular economy.

Whether you’re a hospital administrator, a government policymaker, or a manufacturer looking for eco-friendly material streams, Sterimelt offers a proven, practical solution.

Ready to learn more? Visit https://www.sterimelt.co.uk/ to explore how your organisation can benefit from turning waste into worth.

FAQs

What can polypropylene blocks from Sterimelt be used for?  

They can be granulated and reprocessed into products like trays, fence posts, plastic wood, and injection-moulded components.

Is recycled polypropylene as strong as virgin plastic?  

When blended (usually up to 25%) with virgin plastic, it offers excellent performance for most industrial uses.

Can Sterimelt machines be installed in hospitals?  

Yes, Sterimelt is designed for onsite use, allowing hospitals to recycle waste directly without off-site handling.

Is plastic wood really better than natural wood?  

Yes, it lasts longer, doesn’t rot, isn’t affected by pests, and requires no chemical treatment.

How does Sterimelt help reduce healthcare waste?  

It turns single-use sterilisation wrap into reusable blocks of plastic, reducing landfill dependency and boosting sustainability efforts.

What are the best sustainable solutions for hospital waste?

Sustainable solutions include onsite recycling of single-use plastics, reducing reliance on incineration, and adopting circular economy models that turn waste into reusable materials.

Can plastic waste be turned into useful building materials?

Yes, plastics such as polypropylene can be processed into products like plastic wood, fence posts, and decking, providing a durable and eco-friendly alternative to timber.