What is Disposable ?

Medical & Hygiene products
Disposable is an adjective meaning the ability of something to be disposed of or thrown away after use. Many people now use the term as a noun, i.e. "a disposable" but in reality this is still an adjective as the noun (product, nappy, etc.) is implied. Disposable income is the amount of money left over from one's salary or pay for spending, saving or whatever, after all living costs have been taken out. A disposable (also called disposable product) is a product designed for a single use after which it is recycled or is disposed as solid waste. The term often implies cheapness and short-term convenience rather than medium to long-term durability. The term is also sometimes used for products that may last several months (e.g. disposable air filters) to distinguish from similar products that last indefinitely (e.g. washable air filters). The word "disposables" is not to be confused with the word "consumables" which is widely used in the mechanical world. In welding for example, welding rods, tips, nozzles, gas, etc. are considered to be "consumables" as they only last a certain amount of time before needing to be replaced.
Medical and surgical device manufacturers worldwide produce a multitude of items that are intended for one use only. The primary reason is infection control; when an item is used only once it cannot transmit infectious agents to subsequent patients. Manufacturers of any type of medical device are obliged to abide by numerous standards and regulations. ISO 15223: Medical Devices and EN 980 cite that single use instruments or devices be labelled as such on their packaging with a universally recognized symbol to denote "do not re-use," "single use," or "use only once". This symbol is the numeral 2, within a circle with a 45° line through it.

Examples of single use items include:
    Hypodermic needles
    Toilet paper
    Condoms and other contraception products
    Disposable enemas and similar products
    Cotton swabs and pads
    Medical and cleaning gloves
    Baby and adult diapers, and training pants
    Shaving razors, waxing kits, combs, and other hair control products
    Toothbrushes, dental floss, and other oral care products
    Hospital aprons
    Disposable panties in postpartum
    Contact lenses