The Art of Sustainability

Released on - 23/10/2023

Gothenburg, 17 October 2023: At the height of a global discussion around the need to reduce hospital waste, an innovative partnership between a Dutch artist and a Swedish healthcare company shows that up to 90% of packaging waste, the major contributor to operating room waste, can be reduced.

In 2019 Dutch artist Maria Koijck underwent a full mastectomy following a breast cancer diagnosis. The waste from her 10-hour breast reconstruction surgery two years later, including post-op care, resulted in an art installation where she challenged the healthcare industry on more sustainable solutions.

“I was shocked when I discovered how much waste a procedure like mine generated,” said Maria Koijck. “I'm happy that my original video got a lot of attention and reactions from the healthcare industry. But for a long time, my question has been unanswered”. 

 

Maria's artwork from above...

The result, Swedish Mölnlycke Health Care, a global provider of innovations in wound care and operating room solutions, teamed up with Maria Koijck to recreate her artwork with Mölnlycke’s proprietary “ProcedurePak®” which proved that packaging waste can be reduced by up to 90%.

“At Mölnlycke, sustainability is a core strategic pillar and an integral part of all our innovation efforts. We strive to develop products that are better for the planet and improve patient outcomes without compromising patient safety,” said Zlatko Rihter, CEO of Mölnlycke.

Click here to watch the video.