Achieving Circularity: A Design-Led Model for Recycling Non-Woven Polypropylene Waste in Hospitals

Researchers

Angelique Milojevic
Stefan Lie 
Berto Pandolfo 
Anton Nemme
Roderick Walden 

Integrated Product Design Research (IPDr)
School of Design
Faculty of Design and Society
UTS

Conference: International Conference on Green Innovation and Circular Economy (GR-I-CE) 2026, Athens

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ABSTRACT

Hospitals generate significant volumes of single-use plastic waste, particularly non-woven polypropylene (NWPP), a material used in sterilisation wraps, gowns, and masks. Although technically recyclable, NWPP is predominantly incinerated or landfilled due to contamination concerns, regulatory constraints, and inadequate infrastructure. The Achieving Circularity project, led by the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) and the University of NSW (UNSW), in collaboration with industry and government partners, developed and tested a practical, design-led model for recovering and reusing NWPP in hospital settings. Using Bankstown-Lidcombe Hospital as a pilot site, the project progressed through four iterative phases: Discovery, Ideation, Prototyping, and Evaluation. Incorporating design methods such as stakeholder engagement, workflow analysis, co-design workshops, and material testing. Key strategies included thermal compaction technology, behavioural nudges through bin design and signage, and injection-moulding trials to convert recycled NWPP into new hospital products. Findings show that NWPP recovery is both technically feasible and operationally practical when integrated into workflows and supported by institutional backing. The project highlights the significance of behavioural strategies, infrastructure design, and cross-sector collaboration in embedding circular design principles into healthcare systems. Future research will focus on performance metrics, material optimisation, stakeholder engagement, and policy strategies to scale the model across hospital networks nationwide.