As schools and other organizations navigate the pandemic with new safety measures, it’s important to think about the long-term implications of these choices. Keeping everyone healthy is our top priority, but many are beginning to realize that some sanitizing methods, such as wipes, are an unsustainable practice.
Phones, laptops, and tablets can carry germs, including COVID-19, for days. Device sanitizing is an essential component of schools and other organizations’ safety plans. But, let’s take a look at the numbers.
In Maryland, for example, Prince George’s County Schools has 132,000 students within the district. If these students each use just 1 wipe per day over 180 school days, that equals 23,760,000 wipes per year that will end up in landfills. The out-of-pocket cost averages around $.06 per wipe, which totals to $1,425,600 per year spent on wipes, a staggering amount.
Sanitizing wipes are costly and are clogging up landfills—it’s crucial that schools find a better way to keep devices clean. Our UVC Charging Carts are an eco-friendly, cost-effective alternative to sanitizing wipes.
Sanitizing Wipes Are Wasteful
By bringing reusable bags to the grocery store, driving hybrid cars, and shopping eco-friendly brands, consumers are making a conscious shift towards sustainability. Sanitizing wipes are not aligned with these values.
They can only be used once, and then they need to be discarded. Each wipe may not be very big, but consider the effect of an entire student body’s daily wipe use for just one month. Cumulatively, these wipes fill up landfills and have a significant impact on our environment. Sanitizing wipes are made with synthetic materials, so they are generally not biodegradable, which means they will not break down in landfills.
Make a Sustainable Choice
Schools and organizations can prevent waste from sanitizing wipes by opting for a more sustainable solution. Our UVC Charging Carts do not create any excess waste and can be used over and over again, while charging up to 65 devices simultaneously. Just one cart replaces countless wipes, meaning fewer bags of trash to deal with, and less landfill waste. Aside from being more eco-friendly, our carts also charge devices while they’re sanitizing, meaning students and teachers will never have to worry about low batteries again!
Sanitizing Wipes Are Costly
In addition to the environmental cost, sanitizing wipes can have an immense financial cost. With growing student populations, teachers, and staff each using sanitizing wipes multiple times a day, even smaller schools will need to buy in bulk. Wipes constantly need to be repurchased and restocked, which is an expensive endeavor. Not to mention, with constant shipping delays, what happens when you run out of wipes before more arrive?
Although the upfront cost of a UVC solution is higher than a single supply of wipes, the investment pays off rapidly. Our UVC Charging Carts are designed with durability in mind and are intended to serve for the long term, making it an ideal solution for schools.
These days, every cent of a school’s budget and every square foot of a landfill counts! Let’s work together to find smarter, more sustainable solutions.
Do you have any questions about UVC charging or our other sanitizing solutions? Contact us—we’re always happy to help!