Take Back

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we will TAKE BACK the world

THE GREAT PLASTIC CHALLENGE IN DENMARK AND IN THE WORLD

The 2 great challenges:

Challenge: Plastic fibers from face masks cause respiratory nuisances
Many face masks can be potentially dangerous as they release microscopic loose plastic fibers that find their way into our airways. Today we often wear face masks for many hours and this creates a lot of inconvenience, and the consequences of inhaling plastic fibers can be enormous.

Plaststøv fra typisk Type IIR mundbind

Solution: Vacuum clean the face masks 8 times during production
GMAF Circular Medico vacuums the masks 8 times during production to ensure that loose plastic fibers will not end up in the users airways. GMAF Circular Medico is the only company in the world that has the technology. 

Our Type IIR masks are also recommended by Asthma Allergy Nordic (The Blue Wreath) and are produced from asthma and allergy safe materials.

Challenge: Face masks and other plastic products is a ticking environmental bomb
Face masks are littered all over the place, spreading toxins into the environment. It can have huge environmental consequences. Masks and other plastic products are not biodegradable, but small plastic fragments are released into the environment . These small fragments spread throughout the ecosystem and can be absorbed by animals, plants and humans. A face mask releases more microplastic than a plastic bag. Plastic fragments may contain chemical and biological substances such as bisphenol A, heavy metals, etc.
During a pandemic like Corona, we use 5 million masks a day in Denmark, and 3 million masks per minute Worldwide.

Solution: TAKE BACK
GMAF Circular Medico has developed a very special circular solution for the recycling of PPE. GMAF Circular can recycle up to 98% of the product in our TAKE BACK solution.

Our 6 circular steps for TAKE BACK:

1. End of use disposal
After use the mask is removed and thrown in our yellow return containers. UV light prevents dangerous spread of infection and the face mask is decontaminated for 1/10th of a second for viruses and bacteria. The method has been tested and approved by DTU Fotonik at Risø.

2. Collection of Type IIR masks
All products are collected in our white transport boxes, and are ready to be sent back.

3. Safe return logistics without contamination
The product is now no longer hazardous waste, and is picked up safely by our carrier. The transport box is sent back to production in Randers.

4. Disinfection and quality determination of product material
Upon arrival at the production in Randers, another disinfection and qualification of the material is performed. Our material is recycled 4 times, as this is the maximum for the material in order for it to retain its high quality.

5. New circulated raw material for production
We have the technology to recycle our products by melt sorting. We can sort any residues from the polypropylene. The residues are burned off to district heating, and the remaining polypropylene material is made into granular beads. These recycled beads are used in our production.
We have a CO2 reduction of up to 70% with less combustion and no problematic environmental substances.

6. Manufacturing of products
New products can now be produced from the recycled polypropylene.

Production in Randers, Denmark

  • High-speed production plant, where we produce 500,000 face masks a day.
  • Our production plant is located in a separate so-called clean room, which means that there is absolutely no contamination of the final product.
  • During inspections lab coats, gloves and hair nets are worn. This is not a requirement from the Danish Medicinal Agency, but we strive for a very high level of contamination safety in our manufacturing of our products.
  • Our production plant runs in a closed system, and when the raw material rolls are attached, there is no human contact with the material until the finished face masks are packed in plastic bags or in boxes.
  • The 20 meter long and 20 ton heavy high-tech face mask production machine, ensures high-quality disposable face masks, and plays an important factor in our circular strategy of recycling the material from our disposable face masks.

Materials

We have extremely high demands on the quality of the materials which are part of our production of surgical masks / face masks. And since we want to save CO2 we ensure shorter transport time because all our subcontractors are located in the North of Europe.

Our materials have been tested and have been mapped by Asthma-Allergy Denmark ranging from the raw materials to the combinations in the finished product. We are proud to be recommended by Asthma Allergy Nordic, of which Asthma-Allergy Denmark is a part off. We can state with scientific evidence that we supply face masks that are of the highest quality. And futhermore made of recyclable materials.