NORTHAMPTON, MA / ACCESS Newswire / May 11, 2026 / The Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council (HPRC) is pleased to welcome Smith+Nephew, a global medical technology company specializing in orthopaedics, sports medicine, ear-nose-throat (ENT) surgical reconstruction, and advanced wound management, as a new member.
"We're excited to add Smith+Nephew to our growing membership," shared Tracy Taszarek, Executive Director of HPRC. "They bring significant expertise as a global medical technology manufacturer, with deep experience in medical device packaging engineering, sterilization methods, and regulatory and quality compliance-capabilities that are critical to overcoming barriers in healthcare plastics recycling."
Anchored in "People, Planet, and Products," Smith+Nephew's sustainability strategy aligns with HPRC's goals and initiatives. Their strategy incorporates several activities which will lend valuable insights to HPRC's work including designing packaging with reusable, recyclable, and/or renewable resources, standardizing mono-material packaging, and collaborating with suppliers to increase post-consumer recycled content.
"As a global medical technology leader, our ESG efforts aim for packaging that supports product safety, quality and sustainability," shared Katya Hantel, VP, ESG at Smith+Nephew. "We're thrilled to be joining HPRC and contributing to transformative solutions for healthcare plastics sustainability."
HPRC is currently engaged in multiple initiatives aimed at enabling the recycling and circularity of healthcare plastics, including an assessment of recycling infrastructure, opportunities for labelling standardization, and developing a scalable playbook for implementing regional hospital recycling programs.
About HPRC
HPRC is a private technical coalition of industry peers across healthcare, recycling, and waste management industries seeking to improve the recyclability of plastic products within healthcare. Made up of more than 30 brand-leading and globally recognized members, HPRC explores ways to enhance the economics, efficiency, and ultimately the quality and quantity of healthcare plastics collected for recycling in support of a circular plastics economy. HPRC is active across the United States and Europe working with key stakeholders, identifying opportunities for collaboration, and participating in industry events and forums. For more information, visit www.hprc.org and follow HPRC on LinkedIn.
About Smith+Nephew
Smith+Nephew is a portfolio medical technology business focused on the repair, regeneration and replacement of soft and hard tissue. We exist to restore people's bodies and their self-belief by using technology to take the limits off living. We call this purpose 'Life Unlimited'. Our 17,000 employees deliver this mission every day, making a difference to patients' lives through the excellence of our product portfolio, and the invention and application of new technologies across our three global business units of Orthopaedics, Sports Medicine & ENT and Advanced Wound Management.
Founded in Hull, UK, in 1856, we now operate in around 100 countries, and generated annual sales of $6.2 billion in 2025. Smith+Nephew is a constituent of the FTSE100 (LSE:SN, NYSE:SNN). The terms 'Group' and 'Smith+Nephew' are used to refer to Smith & Nephew plc and its consolidated subsidiaries, unless the context requires otherwise.
For more information about Smith+Nephew, please visit www.smith-nephew.com and follow us on X, LinkedIn, Instagram or Facebook.
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Contact Info:
Spokesperson: Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council
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SOURCE: Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/business-and-professional-services/smith-nephew-joins-the-healthcare-plastics-recycling-council-1165721
