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Purpose <p>Absorbent mats are widely used in healthcare, with around 23&#xa0;million consumed annually in the Netherlands. These single-use products are typically discarded after use, making them non-circular. As healthcare transitions towards more sustainable practices, understanding the environmental impact of these mats and evaluating reusable alternatives is essential. This study aimed to compare the life cycle environmental impact of disposable and reusable absorbent mats to identify the most sustainable option for healthcare use.</p> Methods <p>A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted for three disposable absorbent mats (A, B, C) and one reusable mat (Reusable A), covering all stages from raw material extraction to end-of-life. The analysis included 18 environmental impact categories, such as climate change, land use, and material resource use, following ISO 14,040/44 standards. Inventory data were derived from (i) Ecoinvent database, (ii) industry data, (iii) measurement data, and (iv) literature. The sensitivity analysis tested the main assumptions, and two scenarios were assessed: a best-case and a worst-case scenario, defined by the parameter values identified in the sensitivity analysis for each absorbent mat.</p> Results and discussion <p>Reusable A had the lowest environmental impact in 14 out of 18 categories, including climate change, where its footprint was 87&#xa0;kg CO₂-equivalents, compared to 266, 202, and 150&#xa0;kg CO₂-eq.&#xa0;for Disposable A, B, and C, respectively. The reduced impact of the reusable mat was mainly due to lower material requirements per functional unit, despite additional water and energy use for laundering. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that Reusable A remained the lowest-impact option in terms of carbon footprint across varying conditions. Scenario analysis showed potential further reductions of 29% in optimal washing conditions, while the worst-case scenario still resulted in a lower carbon footprint than the disposable option.</p> Conclusions <p>The reusable absorbent mat demonstrated superior environmental performance compared to disposable alternatives, even under less favourable conditions. Transitioning from single-use to reusable mats could substantially reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare facilities.</p> Recommendations <p>Hospitals should consider implementing reusable absorbent mats within broader circular procurement strategies.</p> Synopsis <p>Absorbent mats in healthcare generate significant waste due to single-use designs. This study shows reusable mats have substantially lower environmental impacts, supporting sustainable transitions in healthcare product use.</p>

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Comparative life cycle assessment and implementation of disposable, biodegradable, and reusable absorbent mats in healthcare

  • 期刊论文

  • 出版模式：

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  • 发表日期：

    2026年6月17日

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  • Kim E. van Nieuwenhuizen,
  • Bastiaan A. Blank,
  • Lauran van Oers,
  • Frank Willem Jansen,
  • Jenny Dankelman,
  • Anne C. van der Eijk

摘要

Purpose

Absorbent mats are widely used in healthcare, with around 23 million consumed annually in the Netherlands. These single-use products are typically discarded after use, making them non-circular. As healthcare transitions towards more sustainable practices, understanding the environmental impact of these mats and evaluating reusable alternatives is essential. This study aimed to compare the life cycle environmental impact of disposable and reusable absorbent mats to identify the most sustainable option for healthcare use.

Methods

A comparative life cycle assessment (LCA) was conducted for three disposable absorbent mats (A, B, C) and one reusable mat (Reusable A), covering all stages from raw material extraction to end-of-life. The analysis included 18 environmental impact categories, such as climate change, land use, and material resource use, following ISO 14,040/44 standards. Inventory data were derived from (i) Ecoinvent database, (ii) industry data, (iii) measurement data, and (iv) literature. The sensitivity analysis tested the main assumptions, and two scenarios were assessed: a best-case and a worst-case scenario, defined by the parameter values identified in the sensitivity analysis for each absorbent mat.

Results and discussion

Reusable A had the lowest environmental impact in 14 out of 18 categories, including climate change, where its footprint was 87 kg CO₂-equivalents, compared to 266, 202, and 150 kg CO₂-eq. for Disposable A, B, and C, respectively. The reduced impact of the reusable mat was mainly due to lower material requirements per functional unit, despite additional water and energy use for laundering. Sensitivity analysis confirmed that Reusable A remained the lowest-impact option in terms of carbon footprint across varying conditions. Scenario analysis showed potential further reductions of 29% in optimal washing conditions, while the worst-case scenario still resulted in a lower carbon footprint than the disposable option.

Conclusions

The reusable absorbent mat demonstrated superior environmental performance compared to disposable alternatives, even under less favourable conditions. Transitioning from single-use to reusable mats could substantially reduce the environmental footprint of healthcare facilities.

Recommendations

Hospitals should consider implementing reusable absorbent mats within broader circular procurement strategies.

Synopsis

Absorbent mats in healthcare generate significant waste due to single-use designs. This study shows reusable mats have substantially lower environmental impacts, supporting sustainable transitions in healthcare product use.