VIDU is the first brand in the dental sector to offer clinics a Plastic Neutral Certified alternative, i.e. dental products with a plastic footprint = zero.
Every month we collect the same amount of plastic from the Mediterranean Sea, its coasts and ports as we generate.
2180KG GENERATED = 2180 KG COLLECTED
of which 600kg are collected from the Mediterranean Sea + 1580kg collected from its coasts and ports.
*Data for 2021 Certified by The Gravity Wave.
Is it possible to use less plastic products and packaging in the dental sector?
For some products it is possible and VIDU works to always offer the most responsible solution. But for many of the products used in dental clinics, for hygienic and sanitary reasons, we cannot completely remove the use of plastic. In addition, they are not easily recyclable as, due to their potential biological risk, they are considered to be contaminated material.
This isn't going to stop us! What solution can we offer?
Within VIDU we are working on the development of alternatives and new recycling channels for waste generated in clinics. In the meantime, with the help of the Alicante start-up The Gravity Wave, every month we collect the same amount of plastic from the Mediterranean Sea, its coasts and ports as we generate.
How do we collect this plastic from the sea?
Through a collaboration with The Gravity Wave which, together with the ENALEIA Foundation, works with traditional fishermen from the coasts of the Mediterranean Sea to collect the plastic from the seabed.
Thanks to all the fishermen, they have collected more than 70,000 kg of plastic from the sea, which Gravity Wave recycles and transforms into new alternative products.
What is the plastic footprint of VIDU products?
All VIDU products carry the "Plastic Neutral - Certified by The Gravity Wave" seal and offset their plastic footprint. But exactly how much plastic are we talking?
All VIDU product descriptions at Dentaltix always include the weight in grams of plastic used per unit (both in the packaging and the product itself), so that you can see its footprint and how it is offset. But these are some examples with a greater impact:
- Weight of plastic used = 400g/pc.
- Weight of plastic collected = 400g/pc.
- Type of collection: Preventive.
- Location: Coasts and Ports of the Mediterranean Sea.
- Recyclable. Non-contaminated material.
- Weight of plastic used = 100g/pc.
- Weight of plastic collected = 100g/pc.
- Collection type: Normal.
- Location: Mediterranean Sea.
- Weight of plastic used = 45g/pc.
- Weight of plastic collected = 45g/pc.
- Collection type: Normal.
- Location: Mediterranean Sea.
- Weight of plastic used= 10g/pc.
- Weight of plastic collected = 10g/pc.
- Collection type: Normal.
- Location: Mediterranean Sea.
- Weight of plastic used = 10g/pc.
- Weight of plastic collected = 10g/pc.
- Collection type: Normal.
- Location: Mediterranean Sea.
- Bib napkins, alginate, retractor thread...
- Composites, etching gel, cements...
- Fibreglass poles, pole cutters...
- And more VIDU products on the way!
Why does VIDU sell some plastic products?
Although at VIDU we offset the footprint of all the plastic we generate (by collecting the same amount from the Mediterranean Sea with our friends at Gravity Wave), we still continue to make plastic products. Why's that?
Single-use plastic is still one of the most consumed materials in the dental sector and unfortunately, at the moment, it's not straightforward to achieve the same hygienic and sanitary conditions with other biodegradable or more easily recyclable materials.
When faced with the dilemma of whether or not to produce some commonly used dental clinic products from plastic, we have decided to do so. We know that clinics need these disposable plastic products to carry out their work, and if VIDU does not manufacture them, they will use other non-"Plastic Neutral" alternatives on the market.
While we are working on researching and designing more environmentally friendly alternatives, we will continue to offset the plastic footprint of these products (by collecting the same amount of plastic from the Mediterranean Sea as these products generate). We believe this is a more sustainable option than offering no solution to these products at all.
We currently divide the VIDU products into:
- Single-use, non-recyclable plastic products: Our headache! Ejectors, micro-applicators, fluoride trays, rubber dams.... Unfortunately, recycling these products is not advised due to their potential biological risk of being used in the mouth. Therefore, while we are currently working on the development of alternatives in other biodegradable materials, we can only compensate their footprint thanks to the Plastic Neutral collaboration with Gravity Wave. In all the product descriptions you will find the weight of plastic generated that we offset.
- Single-use, recyclable plastic products: Rolls and sterilisation bags.... the better! There is no biohazard here, so separating paper from plastic makes recycling these materials very easy. On the packaging we remind users of recycling and responsible consumption guidelines.
- Reusable/sterilisable plastic products: Cheek retractors, impression trays, orthodontic boxes. Unlike other brands, the quality of the material of these products allows them to be reused and sterilised, thus avoiding single-use consumption.
- Products made of alternative materials: Paper cups to replace plastic cups at a competitive price (finally!) Brackets and orthodontic archwires in recycled cardboard boxes instead of plastic (the only brand to do so!). Fibre posts in cardboard boxes...And other products that we are currently developing by researching new materials and alternative designs.
How can we do more in the dental practice to take care of our environmental impact?
Recycle the material used in the clinic and create a positive environmental impact:
If, as well as offsetting the plastic footprint, we recycle, then we will have a positive environmental impact and all the plastic we collect will add to the cleanliness of our planet.
We know that recycling in the dental practice isn't easy!
To make it easier for you, we are working on a project in collaboration with The Gravity Wave to analyse the waste generated in dental clinics in order to offer the best recycling and waste management solutions. We hope to soon be able to offer you new, more efficient alternatives, without biological risk and easily implemented in the clinic.
Make your clinic Plastic Neutral!
