A product using waste from hospitals is reducing NHS spend and helping to save the planet.
Shield – a simple and low-cost redesign of the urinary drainage bags and frames used for catheters – has been recognised by Red Dot in the Sustainability category of the Red Dot Concept Awards. Designed by Cardiff Metropolitan University spin-out business, PDR, Shield utilises recycled single-use disposable plastic sterilisation tray wraps and drapes commonly used in hospital operating theatres and otherwise put into landfill to offer a discreet, stable, and secure product for patients. Commenting on the win, Ben Nolan, PDR associate director of design, said: “The shield concept looks to solve a real-world problem of hospital waste and we spotted an opportunity to utilise a recycled material that the hospital is able to produce from used surgical gowns and single-use trays etc. “This product suits the properties of the recycled material perfectly and is a great way to repurpose the waste material into a product that has a genuine positive impact on patients.”
