Washable Incontinence materials as a New standard towards Zero-waste
The main objective is to break the implementation deadlock of sustainable incontinence care. We achieve this by validating a 'washable incontinence system' that integrates logistics, economics, and user dignity, delivering the evidence base required for national upscaling. We do this by delivering a validated washable incontinence system for healthcare institutions that meets the needs of end users: clients and healthcare professionals. The validated system can then be upscaled across the Netherlands and serve as a catalyst for the transition to sustainable healthcare.
In the Netherlands, the healthcare sector produces approximately 85 million kg of incontinence materials annually, accounting for 7-8% of the total waste volume in healthcare. This enormous waste stream is not only harmful to the environment due to CO₂ emissions, water and raw material consumption, but also costly in terms of production, transport and processing. While washable materials are promising, their implementation in adult long-term healthcare fails due to a lack of validated logistical systems, unquantified total cost of ownership (TCO), and absent quality-of-care metrics. WIN-Z bridges this gap by developing the first scientifically validated, integrated system approach.
The project takes an integrated approach through four work packages: (1) Inventory and selection of existing washable incontinence materials and washing systems and Pilot in testing grounds, (2) Creation of a washable incontinence system.
The project delivers a realistic, validated washable incontinence system in which the three core outcome measures (user comfort and dignity, sustainability effects, and financial feasibility) have been developed for healthcare institutions that use washable incontinence materials.
