Sustainable Healthcare students visit Van Straten Medical

In the medical sector, many instruments and materials are used only once before being discarded, contributing to a massive amount of waste. But what if these materials could be reused?
This is exactly what Bart van Straten, the company’s director, is exploring. He actively seeks innovations and solutions, including recycling plastic waste from hospitals. There is still much research and innovation needed in this area.

For this reason, he is involved in the Learning Community ‘Sustainable Healthcare’, where students from vocational, applied sciences, and university programs collaborate with healthcare stakeholders to develop solutions for societal challenges.

Within this Learning Community, six technical students from the Monteur Mechatronica and Technicus Engineering programs are working on a prototype for a punching machine to process silicone strips. These strips are used to secure surgical instruments in metal storage containers during cleaning and sterilization.
During their company visit, the students gained valuable insights into the products and services offered by Van Straten Medical. With the knowledge and answers they gathered, they are now ready to design and build their prototype.

Thank you, Bart van Straten, for the tour of this inspiring and innovative company!