Nitrile glove waste being upcycled into footwear

Malaysia’s rubber glove industry is reported to have grown rapidly during the past two years. Demand is said to have skyrocketed during the pandemic, with the country’s medical glove manufacturers making around 75 per cent of all nitrile gloves currently being used around the world.

Unsurprisingly, the level of waste produced has grown along with the upturn in demand. In fact, it is estimated that the Malaysian rubber industry creates an estimated 100 tonnes of nitrile glove waste every month.

As used disposable nitrile gloves are not easy to recycle, they often find their way into landfill sites, where they are likely to take up to 100 years to decompose. While the decomposition of most nitrile materials is taking place, it is claimed that toxic chemicals that can be harmful to the environment may be released into the soil.

A Malaysian company has taken the initiative in an attempt to counteract this growing problem, and has developed and patented technology in order to upcycle the nitrile glove waste into footwear. This involves using waste material which is the equivalent of 18 pairs of nitrile gloves to produce what is described as a durable, anti-slip rubber sole. The company also claims that the soling is almost infinitely recyclable once it reaches its end of life, making it a highly sustainable product.

Although thousands of tonnes of used nitrile gloves may go to landfill each year, this strategy shows that it is possible to keep production waste out of such sites and can be seen as a positive step for the future.

Publishing Data

This article was originally published on page 4 of the June 2022 issue of SATRA Bulletin.

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