Packing a Punch Against Plastic: Our Plan for July & Beyond

Did you know that it’s Plastic Free July – a global movement challenging us all to be more mindful of our plastic consumption. It’s a fantastic initiative that shines a spotlight on the monumental impact of single-use plastics on our oceans, our wildlife, and our planet. Here at SkillBase First Aid, we believe that caring for people and caring for our planet must go hand-in-hand. That’s why we’re embracing this challenge and sharing the permanent changes we are making to how we operate.

The Challenge: Balancing Safety and Sustainability

As we’ve discussed before on our blog about eco-friendly training materials, the first aid industry faces a unique challenge. Hygiene and safety are non-negotiable. Many essential items, from sterile wipes and gloves to CPR manikin lungs, are single-use by necessity to meet strict Health and Safety Executive (HSE) standards and prevent cross-contamination.

This creates a dilemma: how do we reduce our environmental footprint without compromising on the quality and safety of our life-saving training? Our approach is one of continuous improvement and practical action, focusing intently on the areas where we can make a real, tangible difference.

Our Progress: Practical Steps to Cut Out Plastic

We believe that sustainability is a journey, not a destination. We’ve been hard at work behind the scenes to find viable alternatives to single-use plastics in our packaging and delivery process.

A Quick Note on Our Transition: As we make these positive changes, you might occasionally still receive an order from us using some of our older packaging, for example, a plastic document wallet. We want to be completely transparent about this. We believe the most sustainable approach is to use up the stock we already have, rather than sending perfectly usable materials straight to landfill. Once this old stock is gone, it’s gone for good, and we appreciate your understanding as we phase it out responsibly.

Here are some of the key changes we’re rolling out:

• Ditching the Document Wallets: We have stopped ordering plastic ‘documents enclosed’ wallets. While we use up the last of our existing stock, we are transitioning away from them completely. This change alone will prevent thousands of single-use plastic pouches from entering the waste stream each year.
• Boxing Clever with Cardboard: We are actively moving away from plastic mailers. The majority of our orders are now packed and shipped in sturdy, recyclable cardboard boxes, ensuring your training materials arrive safely while being much kinder to the environment.
• Smarter Plastics When Unavoidable: Let’s be honest, sometimes plastic is the best material for the job, especially when it comes to protecting vital training equipment from the unpredictable British weather during transit. However, we’ve made a significant switch. Where we must use a protective outer layer, we now use fully recyclable versions (you might recognise our new, rather cheerful, blue and pink mailers!). This means the packaging does its job perfectly and can then be responsibly recycled.
• Tackling the Tape: This is a change we’re particularly proud of! We have replaced all of our standard plastic packing tape with a paper-based version. This simple swap makes recycling on your end even easier. Now, you don’t have to spend time peeling plastic tape off the box; the whole package can go straight into your paper and card recycling bin.

Join Us on the Journey

These changes are just part of our ongoing commitment. We are constantly working with our suppliers to find more sustainable alternatives for every aspect of our business.

Plastic Free July is a powerful reminder that every small action contributes to a larger, positive impact. We encourage you to look at your own workplace or home and see what small swaps you can make.

Together, we can make a difference. Here’s to a safer, healthier, and more sustainable future, one first aid kit at a time.