KCOM Has Teamed Up With ReWorked to Recycle Used COVID19 PPE Gear
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Laurene Rey-Millet
- 23rd February 2021
- 6 minute read
Internet provider, KCOM has teamed up with ReWorked to recycle single-use COVID19 PPE used by their employees in a brand new ‘green’ scheme.
We previously featured ReWorked on Gramersi.com, thanks to their innovative PPE wastage recycling box, and now, Internet provider KCOM – has teamed up with the fellow Hull-based brand, to recycle all single-use PPE used by its’ employees.
The scheme (labelled ‘Reclaim The Mask’) means that thousands of PPE items that previously would have been sent off for incineration and/or environmental litter, will now, instead – be recycled and transformed into products such as furniture, construction material, and even more PPE, and sanitising stations.
Mark Blenkinsop, KCOM’s Head of CSR, said: “As a company that’s committed to sending zero waste to landfill, this scheme is another great way for us to do our bit for the environment and make sure our PPE doesn’t contribute to the mountain of PPE waste that’s one of the unfortunate side effects of the pandemic.”
Since the pandemic began, unprecedented amounts of face masks have reportedly been found scattered along roadsides and in waterways. Worldwide, we’re using a staggering 129 billion face masks, and 65 billion plastic gloves each month. With statistics like these, it is without a doubt, that schemes like this are now essential.
The innovative processes used by ReWorked will enable them to recover every element of the discarded PPE, including the metal nose strips and the elasticated ears, with the material being washed, shredded and mixed to a specific recipe, before being pressed at 200+ degrees into solid plastic boards.
The durable boards will then be used for shopfitting, joinery and furniture – heading for a new life as a whole host of practical items.
Izzie Glazzard, ReWorked’s Marketing Manager, said: “We’re absolutely thrilled to be supporting a fellow Hull-based business in their journey to becoming more sustainable. It takes this kind of bold initiative to drive real change in attitudes; KCOM is paving the way for many more to come.”
ReWorked has also engaged in similar projects previously, working to process waste that is considered ‘non-recyclable.’ More recently, they have been supporting Boots customers in a cosmetics waste take-back scheme.
Find out more here: https://www.reworked.com
