Products
Gloves
Other Products
Hazards
Sectors
Brands
Services & Resources
Services
Certificates
Resources
Healthcare Education
Blogs
About Us
Company
Division
People
Investors
Sustainability
Media
Contact
Where to Buy
Buying Options

CHOOSE YOUR COUNTRY / REGION

Asia Pacific
Europe
Latin America
Middle East and Africa
North America
Image of dentist and the Ansell Earth icon in the top left hand corner

Dental Care and Sustainability go hand in hand

Everything Ansell does is intended to better protect you and the world we live in

Request a sample

know THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN DEGRADATION, BIODEGRADATION AND COMPOSTING

Image of a concentric diagram to explain the difference between compostable, biodegradable & degradable plastics

Many disposable glove manufacturers claim to sell biodegradable nitrile gloves, but those claims are often false. The first step to understanding why is to clarify the difference between degradation, biodegradation and composting.


  1. Degradation is the breakdown of a material over time.
  2. Biodegradation is degradation resulting in a significant change in the chemical structure of a material caused by biological activity.
  3. Composting is biodegradation within a defined timeframe and specific disposal systems. It is measured by the metabolism of polymer carbon by microorganisms using international specification standards (ASTM D6400, ASTM D6868 and EN 13432).

Learn the facts

Effects Of Biodegradability of Gloves on The Environment

Are biodegradable gloves 100% biodegradable?
All gloves contain some level of inorganic material that will not biodegrade. These materials are necessary in current production processes and help ensure a quality product for optimum worker safety.
Do biodegradable gloves always decompose?
Not necessarily. When looking at biodegradable gloves, it’s important to know how the gloves are processed after use; in a landfill, digester or incinerator. Many people contaminate gloves during use with blood, bodily fluids, or chemicals. Contaminated gloves would not fulfill biodegradable criteria. These contaminated gloves would not reach the landfill/digester and would therefore never have the opportunity to biodegrade.
Can healthcare professionals use biodegradable gloves?
Ideally, biodegradable gloves should not be used in professions or jobs in which gloves may be contaminated with harsh chemicals, blood-borne pathogens or bodily fluids. Examples of some appropriate types of jobs include retail, food, janitorial, law enforcement, security and screeners.


Are You Participating In Sustainable Practices at work?

In the dental profession, numerous patients are seen daily. With every patient that is seen, gloves must be disposed of properly when exiting a patient’s room. Any glove that encounters dangerous chemicals or biological contamination must be appropriately disposed of in line with state and local standards. A recent publication by the United Stated Environment Protection Agency noted, “Many states in the United States have regulations requiring medical waste treatment technologies to be certified, licensed, or regulated.1


The impact you can make!

Image of the net zero logo agains lush forest with the line that says ""Our Ambition for 2040 is ZERO"

Ansell is committed to reducing emissions to zero by 2040 and focusing on 90% decarbonization. Aiming to provide dental professionals with a roadmap for environmentally friendly operations, emphasizing the direct impact on people's health and the healthcare sector's ecology.

Future sustainability must begin right now: Ansell's goal is to provide healthcare workers a road map that will guide you in making more conscious decisions. Together, we can build a safer and more sustainable future. Just by choosing Ansell, facilities can significantly contribute to a safer future.

Solutions that Support Sustainability

Ansell Earth represents our products that offer environmental benefits throughout their life cycle that supports your environmental values and sustainability goals.


Sustainability Resources

Image of a person wearing compostable gloves while holding a seedlling to signify eco-friendliness

Sustainability Webinar

Watch Ansell's first Sustainability webinar as you learn our commitment in protecting people and planet. You will learn the truth about biodegrabilbility of nitrile and focusing on raw materials and managing end of life. As you dive deeper into the webinar, you will learn biodegradability does not play a big part in the overall protecting of the planet.

Watch Now
Image of Artha Salgado, Director of Environmental Sustainability for the past 10 years

Sustainable Soundwaves - Ways to Achieve immediate impact in Your Healthcare Supply Chain

Artha Salgado, Ansell's Director of Environmental Sustainability, discusses sustainable supply chain for healthcare, focusing on eco-friendly solutions, waste reduction, stakeholder engagement, and the impact of sustainable development on manufacturing processes.

Listen now
Image of an Ansell female employee posing against a background with recycling material and forest

Ansell Earth

Ansell Earth introduces science-based claims structured across the five product life cycle areas: Material, Manufacturing, Packaging, Use, and End of Use. In this way, you’ll get insight into the genuine sustainability credentials of selected Ansell products that meet our strict sustainability criteria and also be able to see what we’re doing as a company when it comes to sustainability.

View now

Feel the DIFFERENCE- REQUEST A SAMPLE

Resources:
1. US EPA O. Medical Waste. US EPA. Published February 17, 2016. https://www.epa.gov/rcra/medical-waste#who%20regulates%20medical%20waste