GV Health has announced the launch of double-sided 'tiger stripe' offensive waste bags.
The offensive waste channel has seen a huge increase in use among healthcare providers over the past few years in response to environmental concerns over incineration and the high cost of clinical waste disposal. While unsuitable for all clinical waste, a large percentage of healthcare waste can be processed through the offensive waste channel. Taking full advantage of this requires accurate separation of different types of waste by medical and nursing staff.
Strict colour coding and labelling is required on bags used for healthcare waste. Offensive waste bags are distinguished by a lengthways black stripe down the yellow bags which are otherwise identical to clinical waste bags. This has resulted in frequent errors, particularly when bags are partially obscured in bins. A number of health authorities have reported lower than expected take-up for offensive waste channels as a result of staff misunderstandings and errors.
Responding to these concerns, GV Health has developed a new design for offensive waste bags. Multiple stripes are printed down both sides of the bag to facilitate easy identification at a glance, even when only the bag top is visible in a bin. The new multiple stripe design meets regulatory standards and initial customer feedback has been overwhelmingly positive with trials ongoing in a number of leading NHS hospitals.