When the team at Providence Health Care (Providence) first launched a PPE recycling pilot in 2021, they weren’t just looking to tick a sustainability box—they were imagining something bigger.
The PPE bench is a symbol for us of how we can meet a high standard of care for people while also reducing the negative impact on our environment.” – Erick Nguyen, Contract Manager, Support Services.
That vision has taken shape—literally—in the form of the PPE Bench Project, which turns used PPE into durable outdoor benches. Each bench is made from over 7,000 masks, and the recycled plastic is processed locally through a partnership with Vitacore.
Providence also recognizes the importance of collaboration across the sector.
“I want to give a shoutout to Cameron Lock, Waste Management Lead at Interior Health, who is exploring a similar idea. I’m proud to be part of a health care network who is committed to circular innovation,” says Erick.
How it Works
The process begins with collecting used PPE—primarily gowns, blue wrap, shoe covers, bouffant caps/hairnets, gloves and masks—from Providence sites. These items are cleaned, shredded, and separated by material type. The polypropylene is then extruded (melted and formed into spaghetti-like strands), cooled, and chopped into pellets. These pellets are used to create plastic lumber, which forms the structure of the benches.
To ensure strength and durability, the final product is made from 75–85% recycled PPE, blended with other recycled materials like compostable wood or PVC. The result is a bench designed to last 10–20+ years, with the potential to be recycled again at end-of-life.
Impact
At Providence, we collect thousands of kilograms of PPE waste each year,” Benson Low, Director of Environmental Services, explains. “What’s mind-blowing is that we now have the opportunity to replace aging infrastructure at our sites with products made from our own raw materials.”
The first prototype bench was showcased at the St. Paul’s Hospital sustainability fair, and bench installations are planned for Mount Saint Joseph Hospital and other long-term care sites. The team is also exploring new uses for the recycled pellets, including food service trays, garden beds, and waste bins—all designed with longevity and local impact in mind.
Challenges Along the Way
Like any innovation, the project faced its share of hurdles. Ensuring safe handling of used PPE, avoiding contamination, and finding space for collection bins were all early challenges. The team also had to navigate bench design limitations—balancing aesthetics with structural strength—and work through multiple iterations of collection receptacles to ensure high purity rates of PPE waste.
We took a measured approach,” shared Kathy Kohli, Coordinator, Waste Management & Contract Performance . “We wanted to make sure it was safe all the way through—from collection to processing—and that meant doing things differently. Vitacore has been instrumental in this collaboration and very receptive to our requests.”
What’s Next
This is just the beginning. With growing interest from other health care organizations and departments, the team hopes to expand the project and continue exploring new applications for recycled PPE. The goal? To keep the process local, tell a powerful sustainability story, and inspire change across the health care system.
This is what circular innovation looks like in health care: practical, purposeful, and powered by people who care.
