A Path to Resilience

HealthW2R

From Hazardous Waste to Valuable Resource

HealthW2R

Lead Organization: Syddansk Sundhedsinnovation

Project Period: April 2026 - October 2028

Pool: TRACE Pool 4

Project Status: New

HealthW2R develops and demonstrates a scalable Proof‑of‑Concept Circular Economy System (PoC CE) for single‑use plastic (SUP) consumables in healthcare laboratories. It supports TRACE Call 2 and Tipping Point 2 by showing that circular business models are viable, desirable and feasible within routine hospital operations and public procurement.

HealthW2R integrates technological innovation, system design and policy alignment to valorise hazardous waste and demonstrate pathways for materials recovery via decentralised automated decontamination, reverse logistics, high‑value recycling and design‑for‑circularity.

Participating partners: Syddansk Sundhedsinnovation, Odense University Hospital, University of Southern Denmark, KEN Hygiene Systems A/S, Becton Dickinson & Co, Danish Technological Institute, Strategic Procurement Region of Southern Denmark, Jorgensen Engineering A/S, UPM Raflatac Oy, Hounisen Laboratorieudstyr A/S

Funding call: Circular Solutions to Single-Use Plastics and Textiles in the Healthcare Sector

Project Leader

Caroline Strudwick

Mail: caroline.strudwick@rsyd.dk

 

Other Projects

[RE]PAIR

TRACE Pool 4, In progress

[RE]PAIR addresses the need to promote services that extend the lifetime of applied textiles across public and private sectors.

 

PROLONGing

TRACE Pool 5, In progress

The project supports Design for Longevity (DfL) and helps reduce overproduction and CO₂ emissions in the fashion industry.

SWARM2SCALE

TRACE Pool 5, In progress

SWARM2SCALE develops and scales circular plastics systems through higher education institution-led hubs in Greece, South Africa, and Nigeria.

 

 

LoopME

TRACE Pool 5, In progress

LoopME develops and tests a new Deposit & Return System (DRS) for reusable take-away packaging with the aim of reducing single-use packaging waste and supporting large-scale adoption of reuse systems.

 

 

SCOPE

TRACE Pool 5, In progress

SCOPE develops and validates a systemic circular solution for food-contact plastics at events and in canteens. By combining reuse systems and food-grade closed-loop recycling, the project aims to reduce single-use plastics and support the transition to a more circular food-service sector.

 

 

RE-SAFE

TRACE Pool 5, In progress

RE-SAFE will establish a PoC CE system investigating the chemical safety of reusable lunch containers in Copenhagen school canteens.

RE:Circulate

TRACE Pool 4, In progress

RE:Circulate develops a critical infrastructure for scaling reuse of furniture and workwear textiles in Denmark’s four largest municipalities.

PaX

TRACE Pool 4, In progress

PaX aims to catalyse a systemic shift in how patientwear is designed, used, and recirculated in Danish hospitals.

 

 

UNBRAND

TRACE Pool 4, In progress

UNBRAND tackles a central barrier in textile circularity, namely that branded workwear is discarded by the thousands long before its useful lifetime is over, simply because logos and graphics cannot be removed efficiently.

RE-CARE

TRACE Pool 4, In progress

RE-CARE accelerates the circular transition in municipal healthcare, where material use is rising as the 2025 health reform moves more care to local services.

ROUNDS

TRACE Pool 4, In progress

ROUNDS will deliver strategic research addressing two key drivers of single-use plastics and textiles in healthcare.