How Sustainable Is Your First Aid Kit?
We’re all, by now, well aware of the need to find more environmentally-friendly ways to operate as part of wider society and on a personal level. Sustainable choices in our diets, travel plans, consumption habits, and much more, are now widely talked about in the media, at work, and in day-to-day conversations. However, have you ever taken a moment to consider the sustainability of first aid and emergency care? Any idea how sustainable your first aid kit is?
All aspects of our lives and the choices we make can impact the environment in positive or negative ways, including your first aid provisions. Whether you’re looking to improve sustainability and safety at work or want to make more eco-conscious choices at home, we’re here to help you find sustainable first aid solutions that suit your needs.
Check out these resources in our knowledge base to learn more about what can be done to improve sustainable practices in the healthcare sector:
In this article, we’ll ask the question, ‘how sustainable is your first aid kit?’ and explore the environmental impact that the global manufacturing industry has in order to produce first aid supplies for a growing market. We’ll also break down the most common types of first aid supplies used in the UK in workplaces and at home, looking at the sustainability of these items, their packaging, and the first aid kit container itself. We intend to give you a better understanding of the potential knock-on effects that your first aid choices could have on the environment, and to help you explore ways to improve them.
Sustainability Challenges Facing the Manufacturing Industry
A staggering ‘fifth of the world’s carbon emissions come from the manufacturing and production sectors.’ and these combined industries consume around ‘54% of the world’s energy sources.’
A 2021 article from the World Economic Forum (WEF) titled ‘From remanufacturing to recycling: how manufacturing can raise the bar on global climate goals’ argues that:
The manufacturing industry must accept its heavy responsibility for emissions of greenhouse gases. In the US, manufacturing accounts for almost a quarter (23%) of direct carbon emissions, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. In Europe the situation is equally dire: the industry emits an annual total of 880 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents making it one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases on the continent.
The global manufacture of medical supplies, including first aid products, contributes to these alarming statistics. All manufactured products, including medical supplies, ranging from plasters to defibrillators, will have a ‘product carbon footprint’ (PCF). Many manufacturers are looking to determine the PCFs of their products in order to share data with other industry members and work together to assess the impact and collectively address what changes can be made to reduce emissions and carbon footprints across the sector. That being said, there is still a long way to go across the production industry and its complex supply chains that often span the world.
When it comes to the product carbon footprints of the individual contents of a first aid kit, we don’t yet have enough data to determine each products’ environmental impact. The World Economic Forum acknowledges that ‘obtaining a complete and accurate PCF can be very challenging, due to the complexity of global supply chains and the lack of transparency in data’.
When you factor in that a significant portion of manufacturers source many of their raw materials and fully-formed products from countries across the world, as well as export goods internationally to consumers, it’s important to acknowledge that the carbon footprint of the majority of products can be significant. With that in mind, the majority of first aid supplies you’ll come across cannot currently be classed as ‘sustainable’ with regards to the environmental impact of producing them, as well as the waste they produce.
Despite the pressing need for wide-spread improvements to be made in understanding data to support lasting change in the production sector, many members of the industry are starting to commit to joining the conversation and making changes, including Steroplast. It is possible for manufacturers and consumers to make more environmentally-conscious choices when it comes to first aid supplies. We’re committed to being part of the conversation about sustainability in the medical supplies sector, raising awareness, learning, and making changes wherever possible.
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First aid products and their packaging can pose a threat to the environment.
A 2023 report into the ‘State of the environment: health, people and the environment’ from the UK government’s Environment Agency found that packaging products are one of the ‘emerging pollutants’ presenting a risk to the quality of the environment in the UK today. Discarded, littered, or improperly disposed of plastic packaging products are considered to be one of the ‘main sources of microplastics in the environment’.
Consumers across the world are becoming increasingly aware of the risk that plastic waste poses to our natural world, and so are looking to cut down on plastic products and plastic packaging. Many first aid products are single-use and come in plastic wrapping that will contribute to litter, landfill, or incineration, significantly reducing their environmental sustainability. ‘Reduce, reuse, recycle’ is a common phrase used to discuss greener solutions and is part of the UK government’s Resources and Waste Strategy aiming to address the strain that consumption is putting on the planet.
When it comes to first aid, maintaining hygiene is essential, and so many first aid products cannot be reused or recycled and will need to be disposed of after use to prevent cross-contamination and the spread of infection. However, the sustainability of first aid supplies can be improved, factoring in the materials used to produce them and the packaging they come in.
How sustainable are the most common first aid kit items?
As a leading healthcare and first aid supplies provider, we are well-acquainted with the most common first aid items you’ll find in most first aid kits whether at home, out and about, or in the workplace. The most commonly-used first aid products are often included in our premium-grade kits, such as our 70-Piece Home First Aid Medical Kit, best-selling HSE-compliant Workplace First Aid Kit and Low-hazard HSE First Aid Kit.
Let’s look at some of the items you’re likely to find in your first aid kit, unpacking what they’re made from and the packaging they come in. Will they contribute to throw-away waste, or are there options for reusing some first aid supplies and recycling first aid packaging?
Bandages
Triangular bandages are commonplace in first aid. They’re highly versatile and ideal for a variety of uses, including as a sling to immobilise or elevate a limb, to support a splint, and even as a makeshift tourniquet. Most triangular bandages, including ours, are made from either calico (cotton) or a non-woven material. Both are plastic-free and naturally bio-degradable. They are less harmful to the environment if they are disposed of responsibly and don’t get sent to landfills or incineration. Triangular bandages are also, in some circumstances, reusable if they can be cleaned and are used again to treat an injury or ailment that doesn’t require sterility.
Conforming bandages are often included in the first aid kit. They’re stretchy and breathable and easily conform to the body’s contours to provide light compression or hold a dressing in place securely. Most conforming bandages, such as our Steroply product, are made from a nylon and viscose weave that’s not recyclable. It’s essential that it is disposed of appropriately, especially if the bandage has been soiled or come into contact with a wound area. This means that conforming bandage products often unavoidably contribute to waste and can end up in landfill or sent for incineration, both of which are harmful to the environment.
Different manufacturers will package bandage products in different ways, often wrapping them in plastic for hygiene purposes. Most plastic packaging is not easily recyclable and will contribute to domestic or commercial waste cycles.
Many bandage products come with an expiry date, which is important to be aware of. Products with elastane, for example, will degrade in quality over time and become less effective or even unusable. Expired bandages should be disposed of, which often contributes to landfill. Learn more about how to dispose of used or out-of-date first aid supplies on our blog.
Burncare products
Burncare products such as cooling hydrogel burn dressings are often included or added into premium first aid kits, ready to cool and treat burns or scalds. Burn dressings themselves need to be disposed of after use to maintain optimal hygiene, and their packaging is not recyclable due to the plastic lining that is used to retain the sterility of the burn dressing.
If you want to make your burn dressings last for longer when applied, it’s worth considering adding a bottle of burn hydrogel to your kit which you can use to rehydrate a burn dressing while it’s applied, rather than use another fresh burn dressing to continue cooling the burn area. It’s important to remember that most burn gels come in plastic containers, so once they’ve been used up, they need to be recycled, adding to the plastic waste problem.
Note: Always remember to monitor burn wounds and the patient’s well being closely and change the dressing if required—safety and hygiene should always be a first priority. If you’re unsure how to treat a burn or scald, seek the advice of a medical professional as soon as possible.
Cleansing Wipes
Cleansing wipes, like our Sterowipe products, are an essential piece of kit when providing first aid, ideal for cleaning up wounds to prevent infection and maintaining optimal hygiene. In order to retain their sterility, most sterile cleansing wipes are individually wrapped with a foil coating on the inside of each packet to retain moisture and protect against contaminants. Once opened and used, cleansing wipes are no longer sterile and will need to be disposed of safely. The packet they come individually wrapped in is not recyclable due to the interior lining and will also contribute to waste.
It’s also important to remember that sterile cleansing wipes can go out-of-date over time, with their sterility only guaranteed until the expiry date shown on their packaging. After this time, it’s impossible to be certain if a cleansing wipe is sterile and safe to clean a wound, even if the packaging is intact. In these circumstances, expired cleansing wipe products should be thrown away to reduce the risk of infection.
First Aid Emergency Leaflet
Most first aid kits will include instructions for providing treatments or using the contents in an emergency. First aid leaflets are usually printed on durable paper and can remain in the first aid kit for continuous reuse. Many reusable products like this are coated in plastic to make them last. While this makes them longer-lasting and cleanable with a sterile wipe if soiled, a discarded first aid leaflet cannot necessarily be recycled with regular paper waste. Always check the wording on a first aid leaflet you need to get rid of, as it may need to be disposed of in your regular trash.
Foil Blankets
Emergency foil blankets are a first aid essential, designed to be wrapped around a casualty to help them retain body heat and protect from wind or rain. Most foil blankets are silver-coloured for reflectivity and are made from PET plastic film that’s coated with aluminium. This combination of plastic and metal means the material cannot be recycled.
Foil blankets are hard to fold up and return to their packaging for reuse at another time, and they are thin and easily damaged when worn, so we do not advise that they are suitable for reuse. The aluminium coating can scrape off, meaning that the effectiveness of the blanket with be compromised, and it won’t retain the wearer’s body heat effectively.
It’s also important to be aware that some foil blankets can expire, making them less effective when used. As with almost all first aid and medical products, store them in a clean, dry container in their original packaging, and keep them out of direct sunlight. If the foil blanket in your first aid kit has lost its bright and shiny reflective surface, it won’t be fit for purpose and will need replacing.
Nitrile Gloves
Disposable gloves are essential to infection control when providing first aid treatment, such as cleaning and dressing a wound. Most first aid kit contents will include disposable gloves made from nitrile rubber rather than a latex product to ensure they are allergy-safe. Gloves used for first aid treatment should not be reused to prevent cross-contamination. Nitrile is a synthetic rubber and cannot be recycled, so you should throw them away after use.
The majority of disposable glove products have an expiry date because the materials they are made of can degrade over time. Stay on top of the expiry dates in your first aid kit and ensure that any out-of-date products, gloves included, are replaced and disposed of to ensure that only quality products still fit for purpose are available for use in an emergency.
Resusciade Face Shield
Resusciade products are an essential safety measure for first aiders and casualties who require CPR. They’re designed to be placed over a casualty’s mouth and nose to form a protective barrier, preventing the transmission of bacteria between the person providing mouth-to-mouth CPR and the recipient. Many resusciade products are made from plastic or come in foil-wrapping for hygiene purposes. The majority of face shields are single-use only and disposable and often come with printed instructions. The packaging is not recyclable and must be disposed of in the regular waste.
However, if you’re looking to reduce waste in your first aid kit, it is worth considering investing in a reusable resusciade pocket mask. All you’d need to do is order a replacement valve to prevent cross-contamination. This way, it can be reused safely, making it a cost-effective and less wasteful alternative when it comes to providing emergency CPR.
Find out more about other reusable items to put in your first aid kit on our blog.
Safety Pins
Safety pins are a first aid essential. They are legally required in all HSE first aid kits for a variety of uses, such as fastening bandages or securing slings in position. Safety pins are made from stainless steel and are reusable. Once used, always ensure you clean and sterilise safety pins before they’re returned to your first aid kit container. Learn more about how to clean and reuse first aid items on our blog.
Scissors
Scissors are a handy addition to your first aid contents, often used to cut bandages, dressings or plasters to size, as well as to cut clothing if required. Usually made from stainless steel and tough, non-breakable plastic, first aid scissors are long-lasting and can be reused again and again, making them a more sustainable part of your first aid kit that doesn’t need to be thrown away. Always ensure that you clean scissors with warm water and soap after use, or you can sterilise them using an autoclave or boiling them in water for 15 minutes.
Tapes
Adhesive tapes, such as microporous tape, are often included in the contents of a first aid kit. Ideal for securing bandages and dressings comfortably, once a tape has been used, it must be thrown away to reduce the risk of contamination. Many tapes are supplied in recyclable card boxes that don’t need to end up in landfill, and the internal roll that the tape comes on is often recyclable too, depending on the product.
It’s important to remember that most products that include adhesive can degrade over time and expire, making them less effective when used. Stay on top of your first aid expiry dates, and try to use up items that are close to expiry to ensure waste is minimised.
Washproof Plasters
Washproof plasters must be included in all HSE-approved first aid kits, often supplied in a range of shapes and sizes to treat and protect minors cuts, scratches and grazes. To be effectively washproof, these plasters contain plastic and will need to be disposed of in regular waste, especially if they are used or soiled. There is no way to recycle the material that most plasters are made from.
Their packaging can vary from brand to brand, but many first aid plasters are safe to be supplied in a recyclable card box, reducing the amount of plastic waste produced. However, the paper-like film that you peel the adhesive part of the plaster from is usually coated and for this reason cannot be recycled.
Due to their adhesive and fabric material, plasters will degrade in quality and stickiness over time, and many plaster products come with an expiry date. Out-of-date plasters are less effective and should be thrown away, which can contribute to landfill as there is no way to recycle the combined materials they’re made from.
Wound Dressings
Wound dressings are a first aid essential and come in a variety of shapes, sizes and materials for a range of purposes. Many adhesive wound dressings contain elastic and plastic to help them adhere and conform to the area they are covering, which means they’re not made entirely from natural materials. Most non-adhesive wound dressings are made from sterile non-woven material that’s highly absorbent and, if not attached to an elasticated bandage, are naturally biodegradable. Any used or soiled wound dressing should be double-bagged and thrown away.
Any wound dressings that are classed as sterile will have an expiry date on them. After this date, they are not recommended for use as their sterility can no longer be guaranteed, even if their packaging is still intact.
Most wound dressings, including sterile wound care products, will be provided in sealed packaging to maintain optimal hygiene and prevent contaminating a wound while it heals. Many wound dressings are supplied in plastic packaging that will need to be thrown away. However, some wound dressings like these Steropax paper-packed wound dressings are sealed in recyclable medical-grade paper that is specially formulated to maintain sterility without the need for plastic, making them a more sustainable solution to have in your first aid kit or wound care supplies.
First Aid Containers
Most of the standard first aid boxes you’ll have come across in workplaces, or public settings are made from plastic. They’re required by the Health and Safety Executive to be highly visible and clearly labelled as a first aid container for easy access in an emergency. Most HSE-approved first aid boxes are made from durable plastic that most local authorities can recycle. Additionally, they are designed to be reusable again and again, minimising on waste and the need to process plastic for recycling. Many first aid suppliers, Steroplast included, sell individual first aid supplies or refill kits to top up an existing first aid kit container rather than buying a new container every time you run low on supplies.
For this reason, choosing a first aid kit that comes in a quality, durable first aid container is not an unsustainable solution. However, it’s important to note that most first aid kits are made from virgin plastic rather than recycled plastic, contributing to the amount of plastic in circulation rather than repurposing from already existing plastic.
We explore the concept of a zero waste first aid kit on our blog. Zero-waste first aid kits might be stored in repurposed containers. However most repurposed containers would not be HSE-compliant and suitable for a workplace or public-access first aid kit.
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So how can I make more sustainable first aid kit choices?
Now that we’ve explored the sustainability of some of the most common first aid kit contents, there’s clear room for improvement in terms of environmentally-friendly options. Plastic and non-recyclable materials are often used to produce essential first aid supplies to maintain quality, usability and hygiene. Much first aid packaging contributes to the waste cycle, ending up in landfills or incinerators. So, what can be done about this?
Resorting to environmentally friendly zero-waste first aid supplies or making an all-natural first aid kit are not practical (or legal) options for many situations, especially in the workplace. Now more than ever, many businesses want to reduce their plastic use, set and work towards sustainability goals and KPIs, and meet their environmental, social, and governance responsibilities.
There Are Sustainable Options Out There
As a leading provider of first aid and medical supplies to the medical sector, includng UK hospitals and emergency services, we’re well aware of the need to reduce plastic waste and find more sustainable solutions. That’s why we’ve worked with industry experts to develop one of the UK’s first eco-friendly first aid kits to offer our customers more sustainable solutions.
This new eco-friendly first aid kit offers many benefits and improvements in sustainability and is ideal for domestic use or workplace health and safety compliance:
We’ve addressed the problem of excessive packaging and plastic wrapping by developing ways to package common first aid kit contents in medical-grade paper and card containers to reduce the plastic by 94% without compromising on sterility or quality. The packaging on most of the contents in our new eco-friendly first aid kit can be recycled, significantly reducing the waste being thrown away.
To reduce the reliance on virgin plastics, the first aid box that this eco-friendly kit comes in is made from compressed recycled woodshavings and recycled processed plastic recovered from waste shopping bags. This reduces the volume of materials that would otherwise be sent to landfill and produces a durable, long-lasting and attractive first aid carry-case that’s a sustainable alternative to standard first aid kits. It’s ideal for reuse, and consumers can order eco-friendly refill kits to top up the container time and time again.
Despite the changes to standard first aid packaging, this new, eco-friendly kit is entirely compliant with HSE requirements for first aid kits. Businesses or workplaces looking to be more sustainable can switch to this sustainable first aid kit solution and rest assured it is legally compliant, of premium quality, and safe to use while preventing waste from going to landfill.
Take a look at the table below to see the contents of this kit, including the improved environmentally friendly packaging each item comes in
| Item | Quantity | Packaging |
|---|---|---|
| First Aid Emergency Leaflet | 1 | N/A |
| Vinyl Gloves (pair) | 1 | Paper wallet |
| Washproof plasters | 20 | Card wallet |
| Safety pins (pack) | 1 | Pinned together |
| Triangular bandage | 4 | Loose paper wrap |
| Alcohol-free wipes | 10 | Laminate sachet |
| Wound dressing (large) | 2 | Paper packet |
| Wound dressing (medium) | 6 | Paper packet |
| Wound dressing (eyepad) | 2 | Paper packet |
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