Cardinal Health Offers Surgical Glove Half-Fold Packages to Reduce Waste

Cardinal Health announces the availability of its complete portfolio of surgical gloves, including the Protexis powder-free surgical gloves and Triflex® powdered surgical gloves, in sustainable, half-fold packaging.

The standardized surgical glove packaging is the industrys only half-folded format and makes Cardinal Health uniquely able to help reduce consumption of materials and help customers reduce their environmental footprint and minimize waste. The new packaging configuration also helps customers maximize their storage space. 

"By standardizing our glove packaging to the industrys only half -folded gloves packaging, were helping customers meet sustainability goals and make the most of their storage space," says Lisa Ashby, president of category management at Cardinal Health. "These changes reflect great strides in our efforts to be a leader in environmental sustainability."

The packaging has received a green leaf icon designation from the Premier healthcare alliance, which identifies "environmentally preferred purchasing products" for its members. Products and services with the green leaf tag have environmentally preferable attributes that reduce the negative impact on the quality and health of the environment and consider, for example, the product materials, production, packaging, reusability, energy efficiency, disposal, nationally recognized certification, or its impact on the environment.

The Cardinal Health half-fold glove dispenser boxes are at least 30 percent smaller and use at least 15 percent less cardboard than compet itive products sold in tall packaging configurations. Individual pouches within the half-fold dispenser boxes are at least 48 percent smaller than competitive products. And more than 95 percent of the companys surgical gloves feature paper-based wrap material, or inner wallets, which are made from renewable resources and are recyclable.

In addition to packaging enhancements, Cardinal Health also has implemented a number of initiatives to address and improve its surgical glove manufacturing operations in Thailand, including non-hazardous waste recycling, heat recovery and water recycling. The companys energy conservation efforts have been recognized in Thailand, including receiving two Energy Awards by King Mongkut University of Technology, sponsored by the Department of Alternative Energy and Efficiency in Thailand. Cardinal Health also received a Green Industry Award Level II certification for sustainability by the Ministry of Industry in Thailand, recognizing the companys commitment to sustainable resource use, among other qualifying factors.