Glove Waste

Single-use gloves’ carbon footprint is usually assessed from production to delivery (cradle-to-gate). Yet, the impact of their end-of-life on climate should also be considered when selecting gloves.

Currently, three main end-of-life options exist for disposable gloves, each with pros and cons: 

🚛 Landfilling:

Nitrile gloves only decompose into microplastics, while Natural Rubber Latex gloves are biodegradable, breaking down through living organisms (bacteria, fungi) within months into natural elements. In many countries, landfilling is the only waste treatment option. Yet, landfilling waste remains underground for years, producing leachates (contaminated liquids from water percolating through waste) that pollute soil, emit methane (28 times more potent than CO_₂ for global warming) and cause health issues like breathing or digestive problems. Furthermore, petroleum-based materials (like nitrile gloves) cannot fully break down and create microplastics. To speed up decomposition of synthetic gloves, some manufacturers add enzymes, but this also accelerates methane release due to anaerobic decomposition. 

♻️ Recycling:

Recycling can be an alternative reducing resources consumption. But the recycling process requires collecting used gloves, transporting them to recycling facilities and cryo-grinding operations. This generates CO_₂:

➡️ From transport (particularly if recycling plants are far from collection points) 
➡️ From the energy used to produce new raw materials

Moreover, regulations limit glove waste collection because, in most countries, only non-soiled gloves are accepted. This excludes those contaminated with chemicals or biological agents. To date, in the absence of large volumes of glove waste and due to the low performance of recycled rubber, the glove recycling industry is developing very slowly.

🔥 Incineration:

Incinerating gloves with energy recovery appears to be an effective end-of-life option, reducing waste volumes and allowing building heating. This is especially true for Natural Rubber Latex gloves, made from biogenic materials. Gloves can also be collected to produce Solid Recovered Fuel (SRF) for industrial use. SRF offers higher calorific value and produces less clinkers (post-combustion residues). However, the incineration process causes air pollution during transport and through toxic fume emissions. Additionally, 20-25% of incinerated waste remains as clinker (except when incinerating SRF).

In conclusion, none of these options are fully virtuous or climate friendly.

A more positive step is to reduce glove usage.

While single-use gloves remain essential for personal and process protection, using them only when necessary and selecting gloves suited to the tasks performed, with the lowest carbon footprint, helps minimise environment impact.

Small changes can make a big difference!

As a supplier of nitrile gloves, we are occasionally asked whether we offer recycling options for nitrile gloves to make their use more sustainable.

In summary: Since single-use gloves are essential for process and personal protection and you can have the environment in mind using gloves only when necessary and select the glove based on task performed.

Use the Traffic Light Principle to guide you! Contact Charlotte Otéma for more information.