US healthcare is one of the country’s largest consumers of single-use harmful plastics, used in everything from device backer cards, over blue wrap, gloves, pallet wrap, and plastic bags to plastics used in food service. Recycling plastics is close to impossible, so replacing harmful plastics with environmentally friendly, biodegradable plastic alternatives is the only available pathway to large scale impact.

The prevalence of toxic single-use plastic and Styrofoam waste has caused a substantial environmental crisis, and over 100 countries now have full or partial bans on single-use plastic bags. Between 2010 and 2023, the number of public policies intended to phase out single-use plastic products tripled. In some places, single-use plastic cutlery, straws, balloon sticks, and coffee buds are being banned.

In the US, 11 States have banned single-use plastics, and the first Federal ban has been introduced to congress in 2024. Based on recent studies on dangerous micro-plastics and PFAS (Per- and PolyFluoroalkyl Substances – “forever chemicals),” the World is pushing back and demanding changes.

US healthcare is faced with a demand to reduce or stop the use of environmentally harmful plastics, and Alliance Healthcare Partners, in collaboration with Culture Organics, now offers solutions that allow hospitals and health systems to start the conversion to environmentally friendly, biodegradable plastic alternatives immediately.

Culture Organics Plastics

Culture Organics use Polyvinyl Alcohol (PVA) derived from sugarcane crop waste to produce plastic alternatives. These plastic alternatives have been approved by the US FDA for human consumption in various food products – and are used currently in medical applications like body implants and eye drops. The plastic alternative products are safe for marine life and humans; the plastic alternative passes safely through the digestive system. When dissolved in regular water, Culture Organics PVA has a certified “zero end-of-life” leaving behind only bio carbon dioxide and water, no microplastics or residues. Culture Organics products carry a USDA Bio-Preferred rating of 97%.

Unlike traditional PVA, also known as liquid plastic, made from fossil fuels and petrochemicals, Culture Organics PVA is derived purely from organic sugar cane and alcohol. Products contain zero plastics, micro plastics, toxins, heavy metals, PFAS or “forever chemicals” of any kind.

Culture Organics have global exclusive right to utility patents on products derived from sugar cane based PVA.

Using Culture Organics sugarcane crop waste to make plastic alternatives has several advantages:

  • Upcycled food production waste with no alternative uses – raw materials are abundant and cost-effective
  • No micro plastics or PFAS – Culture Organic PVA is 100% organic and water soluble, while corn starch and other bio-degradable or compostable plastic alternatives need as much as 40 years to break down in a landfill
  • Plastic products from Culture Organics are less expensive than paper and bio alternatives and often competitive with traditional plastic

How It Works

  • Culture Organics has in-house R&D and sample facility to enable channel partners to develop and test PVA plastic alternative products
  • Main PVA facility in Henan, China – resin can be exported for assembly in the US or finished products can be exported
  • PVA is adaptable to different product designs as dissolvability, hardness, thickness, etc. of plastics can be adjusted to virtually any product design.
  • Culture Organics resin has been designed to be run through the existing plastic supply chain/machinery with no changes necessary, which allows manufacturers to keep existing vendors and supply infrastructure

Culture Organics and US Healthcare

Alliance Healthcare Partners have exclusive rights to sell Culture Organics products in US healthcare. Several products are under design development:

  • Disposable food service gloves
  • Hospital cafeteria trays, cups, and straws
  • Plastic bags
  • Exam gloves, surgical gloves
  • Blue wrap
  • Pallet wrap and other shipping supplies
  • Medical device packaging

Several Products are Ready for Commercialization

Disposable Food Service Gloves

  • Sugarcane PVA Food-Grade Disposable Gloves
  • Eco-friendly, water-soluble & USDA 97% bio-based
  • Compliant with FDA food safety standards
  • Priced to market
  • Significantly reduce plastic waste
  • Zero toxins
  • Free of dangerous nano & microplastics
  • Safe for food contact
  • Allergen free
  • Disposal through any waste stream
  • Dissolved in water on-site

Pallet Wrap

  • Eco-friendly & USDA 97% bio-based
  • Meets or exceeds tensile strength of plastic
  • Compliant with FDA food safety standards
  • Priced to market
  • Can be produced through existing vendor networks
  • Exemptions from dunnage fines
  • Approved for disposal in bio-based waste streams
  • Significantly reduce plastic waste
  • Zero toxins
  • Free of dangerous nano & microplastics