Description:

The Covid - 19 pandemic has become an everyday issue that we have had
to learn to live with. We put systems in place to work around the pandemic, allowing us to live a somewhat normal life again. One of the systems that are heavily used worldwide is the at-home Rapid Antigen Test kit that detects if you are covid positive or not. Many workplaces have been providing negative Rapid Antigen Tests (RAT) as a precautionary measure. A single RAT creates 10g of non-recyclable plastic biohazardous waste. The current RATs on the market are also complicated and hard to use, with up to 7 different small parts. The entirety of the test is to be disposed of into general waste that will sit in a landfill for 100+ years.

This proposed Disposable Rapid Antigen Test redefines the process of taking and disposing of your RAT.
The disposable RAT takes away the difficulty of the 14 steps required for the nasal swab test, which is currently the only public rapid test option on the NZ market. The proposed disposable Rapid Antigen Test is much more accessible to all, such as the less able elderly and children.

The disposable RAT is a simple four-step process:
The user opens the test and follows the instructions to place the saliva sample on the designated area of the test kit. The user then closes the test and presses the tab on the back to transfer the saliva sample. After a 15-minute wait, the user will see the result. To discard, the user simply places the test into the toilet, allowing it to dissolve and then flushing the test to dispose of it.

Creating the test out of cellulose means the user can flush it down the toilet once done, completely removing the biohazardous waste.
The ‘book-like design of the RAT means that the test and packaging come as one, making a simple product that comes as one piece and is used and discarded in one piece too.