# Closing the Loop on Personal Protective Equipment: Collection, Polymer Recovery, and Circular Pathways for Post-Consumer PPE

## TL;DR

This paper explores how to recycle post-consumer PPE into sustainable materials by addressing contamination, sorting, and recycling methods.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a comprehensive framework for PPE recycling that integrates decontamination, sorting, and tailored recycling technologies.

## Key findings

- PPE waste from healthcare requires strict decontamination to maintain polymer quality for recycling.
- Effective segregation and labeling are critical for managing the material diversity in PPE waste.
- Mechanical and chemical recycling can complement each other depending on the waste stream's cleanliness and composition.

## Abstract

The rapid growth of personal protective equipment (PPE) consumption has generated unprecedented volumes of polymer-based waste, posing a major challenge to the transition from a linear to a circular economic model. The challenges associated with PPE recycling are strongly linked to the sector of origin—including healthcare, laboratories, cleanrooms, and food processing—as this factor determines contamination levels and critically influences subsequent recycling steps. PPE waste originating from the healthcare sector requires stringent decontamination processes, which directly affect the final properties of recycled materials and their suitability for upcycling or downcycling applications. Another decisive factor is source segregation, together with labeling and sorting, given the intrinsic material heterogeneity of PPE, which commonly includes polypropylene (PP) masks, polycarbonate (PC) protective eyewear, and nitrile butadiene rubber (NBR) gloves. Mechanical and chemical recycling routes, including processes specifically developed for elastomeric materials, play a complementary role depending on the cleanliness and composition of the waste streams. The potential for downcycling and upcycling of recycled PPE is closely linked to polymer integrity and process compatibility. When appropriate segregation strategies and tailored recycling technologies are implemented, PPE waste can be effectively diverted from incineration. Under these conditions, PPE—once emblematic of single-use culture—can become a representative example of how complex polymer products may be reintegrated into sustainable material loops, contributing to resource efficiency and circular-economy objectives.