title: Plastics processing: statistics, current practices, and evaluation.
abstract: The health care industry uses a huge quantity of plastic materials each year.  Much of the machinery currently used, or supplied, for plastics processing is unsuitable for use in a clean environment.  In this article, the author outlines the reasons for the current situation and urges companies to re-examine their plastic-processing methods, whether performed in-house or subcontracted out.  Some of the factors that should be considered when evaluating plastics-processing equipment are outlined to assist companies in remaining competitive and complying with impending EC regulations on clean room standards for manufacturing areas.
authors.affiliation: The Optimum Group, London, UK.
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Cooke
mesh_terms: D004780:Environment, Controlled; D004867:Equipment Design; D017743:Equipment Reuse / Q000592:standards; D005062:European Union; D006801:Humans; D010969:Plastics / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards* / Q000600:supply & distribution; D011786:Quality Control; D012371:Robotics / Q000191:economics / Q000592:standards