Inputs, Process and Output of Latex Condoms
Bipin Thandar
SCI 215 Creating a Sustainable World: Technology & Energy Solutions
Westcliff University
Presidential Business School
Sijal Pokharel
March 24, 2022
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What are Latex Condoms and its Inputs?
Condoms made of latex rubber first introduced in the twentieth century after rubber
condoms first were introduced in the nineteenth. Natural condoms, on the other hand, are far
more permeable and therefore less efficient in blocking microbes, including HIV. Human
papillomavirus (HPV), a sexually transmissible virus, has indeed been linked to ovarian
cancer, which condoms are proven to safeguard from (Reproductive Health Matters, 2006).
To produce a condom, the most significant raw material is the latex milk, extracted
from the latex trees. Such latex trees are generally found in the south American Amazonian
rainforests including Brazil, Venezuela and the rest of the region. Well before barrel is
completely full of latex, it normally takes about a half day to fill. Harvesting may only be
performed on dry days to prevent precipitation from diluting the latex. A total of 300 trees
will have their bark shaved away during the latex extraction process. Similarly, other
materials such as sulphur/zinc oxide, polydimethylsiloxane (silicone oil) and powders are
required in order to produce a condom along with water. After extracting and acquiring the
raw materials, it has to be processed in to a systematic order, which requires machines such
as condom dipping lines, condom burst volumes and bursting pressure testing equipment,
tests on a piece-by-piece basis for pinholes and other devices, assisting in quality control.
Moreover, human resources, fuel, energy and so on are other inputs for the production of a
condom.
The Process to Produce a Condom
Majority of condoms are composed of organic rubber, which is derived from the sap
of rubber plants (latex milk). Following crystallizing and hardening in the presence of air, the
rubber was sliced into little pieces before it was again liquidities using petrol. Nevertheless,
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this was a difficult and risky procedure, with frequent explosions occurring in the
manufacturing buildings.
As a result, research was launched for a method to lower the latex’s relative humidity,
making it simpler to carry while yet allowing it to remain liquid. Eventually, ammonia was
determined to be the answer, which prevented the latex from crystallizing by heating and
evaporating it. Ammonia with in natural latex concentration evaporates as a colourless gas
which has a strong, lingering odour being heated more during additional processing (CAREY
et al., 1992).
Presently, a litre of latex may provide up to 700 condoms. This is done by dipping the
glass moulds into liquefied latex milk. Sap from the rubber trees (60 %), water (38.5 %) and
zinc/sulphur oxide make up the latex milk (1.5 %). The mouldings are again cleansed and
coated with a thin rubber layer after a quick soaking in the milk (the warmth of which is
between 20 and 30 degrees). Following several soaking washes and drying periods, the
condom reaches a thickness around 0.03 and 0.08 millimetres in its raw form. To get the rim
on the wide end, one will need brushes. The heated air cylinders are then used to vulcanize
the condom, which is finally removed from the glass mould.
Cleaning is the next step. Powder and silicone are added to water to ensure that now
the condoms are just no more adhesive or sticky. They are then dried at a temperature of
around 85 degrees. To see if there is any leakage, cylinders are submerged in a liquid
electrolyte. Ionic conductivity is reduced in the presence of a condom opening. Electricity is
running through into the condom if somehow the light on the substation comes on, indicating
that the condom must have leaked and has to be discarded. Random quality tests are carried
out by condom brand producers (elasticity test, inflation test, microbiological purity test, leak
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test) (Trussell et al., 1992). A condom, for instance, must be able to extend up to seven times
its regular size before suffering any harm.
How the Finished Products Reach to Customers?
In order to start the manufacturing process, materials need to be available in the
plants. Similarly, after the completion of the manufacturing process, the end product needs to
be made available to the customers, who would use it, otherwise the entire production would
be nothing but waste. The largest condom manufacturer in the world is Karex, which is a
Malaysia based company. Since, the raw materials, latex, is found majorly in the rain forests
of Amazonian region, it needs to be transported all the way to the plants of Malaysia from the
rainforests.
Similarly, after the production, it needs to reach to the customers. Japan and China are
some of the largest consumers of condoms, where China alone consumed 13 billion units of
condoms in 2018 (Matsumoto et al., 1972). In order to fulfil the demand, the finished
products again need to be transported to the places where there is demand. Once a unit of
condom is used, it cannot be reused or recycled, hence, once the consumer uses a condom, its
life cycle ends (Htat et al., 2015).
Summary
The preceding chart depicts the visual of input and output associated in the production
cycle through end of life:
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Figure 1: Flow chart to show the life cycle of condoms
In the figure 1, the use of raw materials such as latex, the manufacturing process and
the use along with the transportation and waste produced due to the production of condom is
portrayed in the flow. Due to the production of condoms, huge quantity of waste is generated
in all the levels of production. While in the extraction phase of the raw materials, the barks of
the trees that are taken down for the process, are the waste. Similarly, the excess materials
that do not get used in the manufacturing becomes the waste. Likewise, all the condoms that
Input
-Labour
-Transportation
-Machineries
Raw Materials
– Latex
-Silicone oil
Waste
-Barks of latex
trees
drying
Dipping
compounding
beading
washing
stripping
curing or post-
vulcanization
physical
property
testing
Packaging
Waste
– Unused Materials
Input
– condom dipping lines
– electronic testing machines
-equipment for the measurement of
burst volume and burst pressure
– machine for the detection of
pinholes
Input
– Electricity
– Fuel
– Labour
Final Product
Waste
-Used Condoms
Use of the product
Transportation
Transportation
Plants
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get used cannot be reused or recycled, hence, every unit that gets produced eventually
becomes waste. Moreover, huge amount of fuel and energy gets used in order to produce
condoms, which has negative impact on the environment in the long run.
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References
CAREY, R. F., HERMAN, W. A., RETTA, S. M., RINALDI, J. E., HERMAN, B. A., &
ATHEY, T. W. (1992). Effectiveness of Latex Condoms As a Barrier to Human
Immunodeficiency Virus-sized Particles Under Conditions of Simulated Use. Sexually
Transmitted Diseases, 19(4).
Htat, H. W., Longfield, K., Mundy, G., Win, Z., & Montagu, D. (2015). A total market
approach for condoms in Myanmar. Supplement: Symposium on the Private Sector in
Health: Sydney 2013, 30. https://www.jstor.org/stable/48508830
Matsumoto, Y. S., Koizumi, A., & Nohara, T. (1972). Condom Use in Japan. Studies in
Family Planning, 3(10), 251. mailto:https://doi.org/10.2307/1964707
Reproductive Health Matters. (2006). Condoms, Yes! “Abstinenceâ€, No. Taylor & Francis,
Ltd., 14(28). https://www.jstor.org/stable/25475272
Trussell, J., Warner, D. L., & Hatcher, R. A. (1992). Condom Slippage and Breakage Rates.
Family Planning Perspectives, 24(1), 20. https://doi.org/10.2307/2135721
