Disposable products and sustainability – do they even go together? This question is particularly relevant for medical and industrial consumables like nitrile gloves. However, the answer is more nuanced than it might seem at first glance. In this article, we examine which aspects are truly relevant in the sustainability debate surrounding disposable gloves – and what manufacturers, customers, and policymakers can contribute.
The Challenge: Sustainability in Disposable Products
Disposable gloves fulfill important protective functions – often even vital ones. They must be safe, tear-resistant, skin-friendly, and functional. At the same time, they are by definition considered disposable products – usually made of polymer-based material, not biodegradable, and only usable once.
The criticism of this is understandable. But the reality is more complex.
What Sustainability Really Means in this Context
Sustainability in disposable gloves doesn’t necessarily mean: biodegradable. Instead, it means:
- Resource conservation in production (e.g., modern plant technology and energy-efficient processes)
- Reduced transport emissions through regional manufacturing
- Optimization of material use & packaging
- Avoidance of faulty production (e.g., through modern manufacturing)
- Responsible use through training & demand forecasting
Sustainability in disposable products like nitrile gloves is therefore an interplay of technology, logistics, and an awareness of sustainability that is translated into processes.
How BISON Implements Sustainability in Practice
BISON focuses on where the greatest leverage lies: in production and transport emissions. At our Siegen site, we produce nitrile gloves using state-of-the-art plant technology – energy-efficient, automated, self-sufficient.
This is how BISON achieves CO2 savings of more than 80% compared to Asian import products.
Our Advantages:
- Made in Germany – no intercontinental transport by ship or plane
- Efficient state-of-the-art production technology
- In-house R&D – e.g., product tests can be realized even in small batches
The goal is to think about supply security and environmental responsibility together.
Conclusion – it Takes more than a “Green Glove”
Sustainability in disposable gloves is not a marketing promise, but a process – and this begins with manufacturing, extends through procurement, and goes all the way to conscious use. For us at BISON, it’s clear: It’s not about producing such an important disposable product as responsibly as possible.
Further Reading
Made in Germany – Why BISON is committed to Germany as a location – Read now
The Proper Disposal of Nitrile Disposable Gloves
Sources & further Information
Federal Environment Agency (UBA): Waste Prevention in Medical Products
DGUV: Recommendations for PPE Sustainability BME – Study: Sustainable Procurement in Healthcare (2024)