UK frontline workers supplied with ground-breaking water-soluble infection control bags
Aquapak is distributing free of charge water-soluble infection control laundry bags to prevent spread of virus from workplace to frontline NHS staff.
The company makes the Hydropol pellets, an innovative new polymer technology which is non-toxic and marine-safe, and supplies them to packaging converters who produce the bags.
Aquapak has a packaging conversion partner, Echo Packaging, in the UK and other partners outside the UK to quickly produce and distribute more bags.
Some 46,400 bags have been donated to health and social care providers across the UK.
Workers can remove their work clothes in the workplace, take them home safely and put them straight into the washing machine without exposing their homes to the virus.
The environmentally friendly infection control bags dissolve in the washing machine on a 60oC wash cycle.
Some 12,000 bags have been provided to frontline staff at the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust.
The bags have also been distributed to workers across the West Midlands, East Midlands and staff at Leeds Teaching Hospitals in West Yorkshire.
In Norfolk the bags have been supplied to workers via the James Paget University Hospital NHS Foundation Trust, UEA Medical Centre, Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Kings Lynn and NHS Norfolk and Waveney CCG.
Aquapak is looking to partner with additional converters to increase its bag production capacity.
Jacqui Smith, Chair of the University Hospitals Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust said: “We’re grateful for the support of Aquapak in providing these innovative bags to our staff. They have been working round the clock to care for patients and to build our capacity in these very difficult times.
“Being able to use these bags is providing reassurance for staff and supporting them to do their best for our patients.”
Aquapak CEO Mark Lapping said: “In this time of national crisis we were keen to do whatever we could to help our fantastic key workers. Over the coming weeks it is incumbent on all of us in business to do whatever we can to support frontline workers delivering world class care to our most vulnerable people”.