With global environmental awareness on the rise, the healthcare industry is actively seeking sustainable solutions. Traditional medical textiles (e.g., gowns, sheets, wipes, etc.) are mostly made of non-biodegradable materials, which not only generate a large amount of medical waste, but also increase the burden on the environment. As a new type of environmentally friendly material, dispersible nonwoven fabrics are helping hospitals to achieve green transformation. In this article, we will discuss the advantages of Flushable Nonwoven, its application scenarios and its impact on the sustainable development of hospitals.

Flushable nonwoven is a new type of biodegradable nonwoven material that can be flushed down the drain, usually made from natural fibres (e.g. wood pulp, cotton) or water-soluble polymers (e.g. PVA, PLA). Its features include:

✅ Rapid dispersion in water to avoid clogging pipes

✅ Biodegradable, reducing environmental pollution

✅ Safe and harmless, does not contain plastic beads and other harmful substances.

(1) Medical Wipes & Disinfection Towels

Replace traditional polyester fibre wipes to reduce medical waste.

Used for cleaning surgical instruments, disinfecting skin, etc., and can be flushed directly into the toilet after use.

(2) Disposable Sheets & Surgical Towels

Adopting flushable material to reduce the cost of washing medical fabrics.

Reduce the risk of cross-infection and enhance patient safety

(3) Patient care products (e.g. urine pads, wipes)

Flushable pads for incontinence care, reducing pressure on sewage disposal.

Eco-friendly wipes for patient cleansing to avoid plastic fibre contamination

(4) Masks & Protective Clothing (experimental stage)

Some companies are developing biodegradable medical protective equipment, which may replace traditional PP non-woven fabrics in the future.

(1) Reduce medical waste disposal costs

Traditional medical textiles need to be incinerated or landfilled, while flushable nonwovens can enter the sewage treatment system, reducing waste disposal costs.

(2) Reduce Carbon Emissions

The use of bio-based materials such as PLA (polylactic acid) and viscose reduces the carbon footprint by 30% to 50% compared to petroleum-based nonwovens.

(3) Enhancement of hospital ESG ratings

The application of environmentally friendly materials helps hospitals meet **international green hospital certification (e.g. LEED Healthcare)** requirements and enhance brand image.

(4) Comply with policy and regulatory trends

Many countries around the world have implemented ‘plastic restrictions’, such as the EU SUP ban, and hospitals can avoid policy risks by using biodegradable materials.

A hospital in Sweden: After adopting dispersible wipes, medical waste was reduced by 15 per cent, saving more than 100,000 euros in annual disposal costs.

Kaiser Permanente, USA: Promoting biodegradable bed linen, winning the 2023 ‘Green Healthcare Innovation Award’.

With technological advances, the performance (e.g. strength, liquid resistance) of flushable nonwovens will be further improved, and they may be widely used in the future:

🔹 flushable surgical gowns

🔹 Biodegradable medical packaging

🔹 Eco-friendly bandages & dressings

Flushable nonwoven fabrics provide an economical and environmentally friendly alternative for hospitals, which not only reduces operating costs but also promotes the sustainable development of the healthcare industry. With policy support and technological breakthroughs, more healthcare organisations will join the green transition in the future, achieving a win-win situation for both the environment and the economy.