▶'We Made a Hospital Ward Out Of Trash'
Newsweek
Jul 8th, 2021
As the COVID-19 pandemic hit, we became aware that there was a lot of PPE waste and trash that was being generated by the medical system. At the same time, there was a very real need for more intensive care units (ICU) and isolation chambers. So, we diverted all our resources back into our community and figured out how to build hospitals.
We bought our trash from a medical waste supplier who collects all kinds of medical waste polymer; from saline bags all the way to PPE. They sterilise it and from there, we have a set of machines that recycle into new materials. We've been developing that technology for a while for hotels and because of the COVID situation, we turned those designs into hospital modules.
After developing a prototype, we then created a 93 bed hospital extension, a Modular Adaptable Convertible (MAC) hospital ward for the Fu Jen Catholic University Hospital in Taipei. Inside, other than the floor, toilets and nursing station, we reengineered and assembledeverything. The main feature is that it is designed to be quickly assembled, and it is integrated with antibacterial and antiviral coatings. All the walls, ceilings and joints that assemble the ward are made from trash. On June 3, it was put to use with all the necessary building and medical certifications and it's already full of COVID patients. Now, if I go in there I need special permission and have to wear full PPE.
What is incredible about this project is that you're not a hired gun for a brand doing "greenwashing", this is helping doctors and nurses solve real problems that save lives. We're not stroking some billionaires ego or supporting a brand's commercial objective, we have been able to turn ourselves into a useful hand for our community.