FlexPAC Presents SHOWA Glove’s New 100% Biodegradable Glove

FlexPAC cares about the environment – introducing a new disposable biodegradable glove that works, reduces landfill waste, and doesn’t bust your PPE budget.

We have all heard about the need to “go green” or have dreams of initiatives that “focus on sustainability”. The reality of everyday decisions often overshadows the importance of these phrases. So, what can we do to make a difference in our everyday decisions at work and at home to put these statements into action? FlexPAC is offering one simple way to perhaps put words into action… SHOWA Glove’s new green (the glove is actually green in color) 4-mil biodegradable nitrile glove. The first question we often get after talking about this new concept solution is usually cost.  We do realize the cost of moving towards more green initiatives can be daunting and often our wallets or company budgets don’t allow for a change to be made. At FlexPAC, we are always focused on helping improve the environment and employee safety within our company and for the customers we serve. Something as simple as a new nitrile disposable glove may not seem like a big deal or worthy of looking at for a way to improve the environment, but the new glove from SHOWA is providing some of our clients with an option to not only protect employees’ hands, but also work to protect the environment, reduce the carbon footprint, and save a significant amount of money.

The gloves have received excellent client reviews for their performance versus current, non-eco versions. One other common question we get is in regard to the scrutiny and processes as other gloves. The answer is YES! In fact, SHOWA’s new EBT nitrile biodegradable gloves are certified as Category III Personal Protective Equipment (PPE). These gloves are manufactured in an ISO 9001:2008 and ISO 13485:2003 certified facility. In addition, 6110PF are inspected for major defects in accordance with ISO 2859:1999, AQL <1.5, G-I sampling. The glove is a  4-mil, nitrile disposable glove offers an excellent second-skin feel, zero natural rubber latex proteins, and comes in sizes from extra small to XXlarge. The gloves are able to perform in a multitude of industries, such as manufacturing, food processing, public utilities, janitorial, healthcare and pharmaceutical, chemical, automotive, and agriculture.

These gloves may end up in a landfill, but won’t be there forever. These take only one to five years to completely biodegrade and reduce the amount of waste. Each year, companies that use between 3 and 10 pairs of gloves create about 5,000 pounds of disposable glove waste. That is 5,000 pounds of waste that will never break down. When the gloves are disposed of in landfills, the microorganisms consume, metabolize, and break down EBT materials into three natural compounds: organic soil, methane, and carbon dioxide. These materials create a fertilizer, leaving zero waste behind. The gloves will only begin to break down in biologically active landfills. Which means the process will not start while sitting on a shelf. While performing exactly the same as other non-EBT gloves, it is much better for the environment.

Using EBT green gloves provides several benefits to the environment. Biodegradable products are more fuel efficient, pollute less, and have compostability. Biodegradable products use about 50% less fuel than those that are non-biodegradable. When the gloves break down, there is less pollution in the air because all materials are non-toxic. These products are able to break down into organic materials that can be used as a fertilizer, making them great composters rather than trash builders.

In the US, the average person is currently producing about 4.5 pounds of trash per day. Environmentalists are urging Americans to recycle more of their garbage and businesses to take actions that reduce landfill waste, improves air and water quality and ultimately make a difference in our world.

In 2016, an environmental survey was conducted by Pew Research Center. The survey revealed that the vast majority of Americans support protecting the environment, recycle, and about 40% of Americans identify as environmentalists. Americans are looking for more products that protect the environment and will not ultimately end up in a landfill.  Ok – so where does that leave us?  Do we give this new, green biodegradable glove solution a chance? Does it make sense to try it in your facility and see if it provides the protection needed with hopes of also improving the environment?  If you would like some more information on this solution and other environmentally conscious product offerings, contact your FlexPAC representative today or shoot us an email at safety@flexp.com.

A true win-win situation is difficult to find when it comes to purchasing products, but this one has proven its value and our clients are making the switch to this new “green-green” solution. FlexPAC has committed to stock this solution in both black and green color options, and we are now offering it as part of our standard safety product offering.