Tray liners are designed to create a barrier between the endoscopes and the trolley trays, preventing direct contact and reducing the risk of cross-contamination. The identification system for trays typically involves colour-coded covers that indicate the cleanliness status of the endoscopes. For instance, a green cover might signify a clean endoscope, while a red cover may indicate a dirty scope.

Benefits

• Enhanced Hygiene: Tray liners prevent direct contact between the endoscopes and the trolley, reducing the risk of cross-contamination.
• Easy Identification: Tray covers protect clean scopes from airborne contaminants during transport to procedure and in-turn contain bodily fluids post-procedure back to the reprocessing room.  The colour-coded tray covers help healthcare providers quickly identify the cleanliness status of the endoscopes, ensuring that only clean equipment is used for procedures and dirty scopes are promptly cleaned and reprocessed.
• Simplified Cleaning: Liners simplify the cleaning process by containing contaminants, making it easier to clean the trays and trolleys/carts.

Single-use, compostable liners and covers offer several advantages in maintaining hygiene and supporting sustainability goals. These liners are generally supplied sterile, ensuring that they do not introduce any contaminants to the trolley, endoscopes or medical instruments.

Benefits

• Hygiene: Transport tray liners create a sterile barrier, preventing cross-contamination and maintaining the cleanliness of the trolley trays and the reprocessed, clean scope.
• Safety: Transport tray covers provide quick and easy identification of the endoscope or medical instruments and contain contaminants, reducing HAIs (Healthcare-Associated Infections).
• Sustainability: Being compostable, these liners support environmental sustainability by reducing plastic waste. Ecolab Healthcare ANZ have been instrumental in bringing to market a sustainable option in single-use liners and covers, strongly supporting healthcare facilities sustainability goals.
• Convenience: Disposable liners simplify the cleaning process, as they can be easily disposed of and replaced, reducing the need for repetitive and timely reprocessing of trolleys and trays.

Benefits

• Prevention of HAIs: Sterile liners and covers help prevent healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) by maintaining a clean environment for endoscopes.
• Sustainability Goals: By adopting compostable options, healthcare facilities can reduce their environmental footprint. For example, Ecolab Healthcare ANZ’s compostable liners and covers contribute to the reduction of plastic waste, aligning with global sustainability goals.
• Efficiency: The use of disposable liners and covers streamlines the cleaning process, allowing healthcare providers to focus more on patient care.

While specific statistics on the use of endoscope tray liners and covers in Australia and New Zealand are limited, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare reports that endoscopic procedures have seen significant growth over the years. This growth indicates a corresponding increase in the use of related consumables, including tray liners and covers.

Endoscope trolley tray liners and covers are essential for maintaining hygiene and preventing cross-contamination in medical facilities. The use of single-use, compostable tray liners and covers supports sustainability goals and enhances the efficiency of healthcare operations. Ecolab Healthcare ANZ’s commitment to sustainability is demonstrated by their first-to-market compostable liners and covers. This sets a benchmark for environmental responsibility in the healthcare industry. By adopting these practices, hospitals and healthcare facilities can ensure the safe and efficient transport of endoscopes. This ultimately enhances patient care and safety.

For more information on Ecolab Healthcare’s compostable endoscopy consumables please contact an endoscopy specialist on 1300 425 529 AU or 0800 425 529 NZ or visit our Ecolab Healthcare ANZ website.  For further information on Ecolab’s sustainable goals and solutions, visit http://www.ecolab.com.au.