24-hour Urine Container: Plastic vs Cardboard
A 24-hour urine collection test is a simple lab test that measures what's in your urine. The test is used to check kidney function. Urine normally contains waste products. A 24-hour urine collection test will determine if these substances are not within normal range. This might mean that certain diseases or conditions are present in your body. In the test, urine is collected for 24-hours inside a urine container.
24-hour Cardboard Urine Container
A 24-Hour urine container can hold between 800 to 2000 milliliters urine sample per day with a normal fluid intake of about 2 liters per day.
Most urine containers are made of plastic, which make them bulky and difficult to transport and store, especially when you are dealing with a large number of samples. This is why it is easier to use a urine container made from cardboard material. To help us make an educated choice between the two, we need to understand their impact on hygiene, natural resources, and the long-term environment sustainability.
Throughout the world, clinicians and patients alike are now embracing the idea of using disposable urine bottles or containers as patient-and-staff friendly disposable alternatives. Reusing a plastic urine collection container for multiple usage can contribute to the hygiene risks related to the handling of the urine sample. In addition, cardboard has a clear sustainability benefit over plastic when it comes to disposal, waste management and end of product or material lifecycle. Cardboard is bio degradable and breaks down much quicker than plastic.
| Cardboard 24-hour urine container | Plastic 24-hour urine container |
| Disposable - no washing or reusing involved | Rewashing/reusing - hygiene & infection risk |
| Light weight - easy to carry and store | Bulky & heavy - not practical to carry and store |
| Patient-and-staff friendly | Not patient-and-staff friendly |