THE NEED: Petroleum in Medical Supplies By: Marina Rose and Alyssa Keeney

The Basics Pumped from underground Cannot be used in natural state, crude oil Shipped to oil refineries to be separated into simpler mixtures (hydrocarbons) Non-renewable resource

Medical Supplies That include petroleum in their manufacturing… –Bandages –Vinyl gloves –Catheters –Medical films –Syringes –Masks

Location in Distillation Tower

Cost of Manufacturing Rising petroleum prices increases the costs of production of all substances made from petroleum based materials, and their transportation One hospital can obtain around $10.2 million worth of med. supplies Predicted inflations in years to come… –Surgical supplies by 2.8% –Supplies used by nurses by 2.4% –Clinical laboratory supplies by 3.9%

Transportation Some supplies require specialized handling Trains and cars Some transportation companies offer a complete routing and logistics plan to move supplies from the factory to the warehouse to the hospitals

Research and Development Healthcare distributors, manufacturers, and providers are working together –Developing new product packaging –Using less plastic in syringes and medical gloves (vinyl gloves as an example)

Benefits Makes treatments readily available and usable Sanitation controllable Diseases cured Operations preformed Lives saved

How to Manufacture Petroleum is used in the plastic components of vinyl gloves and syringes Vinyl gloves –Once at glove factory: dipping, powdering, rinsing, and drying are all completed Syringes –Made in similar fashion to each other –Same basic components, including needle, barrel, cap and plunger –Tube can be wide and hollow, or short and narrow

If Not Manufactured Ways to induce treatment would be more difficult People could possibly die Sanitation would decrease (gloves, masks)

Disposal of Waste Some companies track the wastes of hospitals from the hospital to where it is destroyed Provide Medical and Biohazardous Waste Management Services Some medical supplies can be donated after used –Scalpel handles and blades –Needle holders

Recycling of Medical Supplies Some medical supplies can be broken down to be used in asphalt and tar

Resources Chemistry in the Community