phs Becomes World’s First Hygiene Services Company To Offer Sharpsafe Sharps Containers Made From Recycled Materials

Sharpsafe full range made from recycled materials available from phs group

● Hygiene company set to reduce its CO2 emissions by almost half

● Company single use plastic set to drop by 41%

phs has become the first service provider to offer clients Vernacare’s environmentally-friendly sharps units, made from  up to 100% recycled material.

As the leading hygiene services provider in the UK, Ireland and Spain, phs’s exclusive deal to offer Vernacare’s innovative 5th Generation Sharpsafe and Clinisafe containers will help companies significantly reduce their carbon footprint while meeting their healthy environment targets.

While phs has supplied 100% recycled accessories and lids for yellow containers since 2021, the new-look Sharpsafe containers feature a grey body with colour-coded lids for compliant waste segregation and the safest disposal of clinical sharps, ensuring it’s quick and simple for staff to know which one to use.

phs, which sends over 35,000 tonnes of sharps waste sent to incineration plants every month, calculates the move to grey could cut its carbon emissions by half. Based on 2021 figures - which saw phs buy 312,000 single-use Sharpsafe containers - purchasing the same amount this year could see the company reduce its CO2 emissions by 47% (245,388kg).

As the world’s first full range of grey-based containers made with locally-sourced recycled material, the reduction in virgin plastic is significant at 41% (77,178kg), the equlivent of 3.8 million single use plastic bottles.

The eco-friendly Sharpsafe range is available to phs customers in 0.6 litre to 60 litre clinical container, and are the first recycled sharps container to receive ISO, BSI Kitemark and UN Certification. Each of the containers has a minimum of 30% recycled material, with some sizes achieving 100% recycled content in the base and 20% in the coloured lids.

Sharpsafe's 7 and 4 range made from recycled materials available from phs group

Amanda Haywood, head of product development at phs said: “Our customers want to be as green as possible and look to phs to lead the way in responsible waste management solutions. While the raw materials used to make the containers have changed, there is absolutely no compromise in the quality of the all-new Sharpsafe recycled sharps containers range, nor extra cost implications.

“As the only hygiene services company working with Vernacare, we’re delighted to be setting new industry standards for environmental responsibility together while ensuring clients can access the best sustainable products on the market. While the partnership demonstrates phs’s commitment to both the environment and innovation, incorporating more low carbon footprint recycled materials into waste management is ultimately the right thing to do – for our business, for our customers, and for the future of our planet.”

The new initiative also helps companies mitigate the impact of the government’s Plastic Packaging Tax, which came into effect on 1st April 2022.

Vernacare’s global category director John Davies  said: “As early adopters of the 5th generation of Sharpsafe, we would like to thank phs for their ongoing dedication to the Sharpsafe and Vernacare sustainability journey.

“Here at Vernacare we are driving sustainable product innovation to maximise infection prevention, whilst protecting our planet.  The synergy between Vernacare and phs ensures environmentally responsible solutions for clinical waste management.  

“Together, we are committed to reducing carbon footprint on our products and reducing virgin plastic entering the supply chain, which is in line with the needs of our customers and their ambitious green agendas.”

phs Becomes World’s First Hygiene Services Company To Offer Sharpsafe Sharps Containers Made From Recycled Materials