Healthcare Sector’s Dependence on Single-Use Plastics Driving Up Costs
TL/DR –
The healthcare sector’s reliance on single-use plastics contributes to more than 4.3 million metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions and significant waste, according to a report from Eunomia and Systemiq. The report found that less than 5% of healthcare plastics are recycled in North America and Europe, with the U.S. and Canada generating about 1.2 million metric tons of single-use healthcare plastic waste in 2023, and Europe contributing a further 900,000 metric tons. To curb this issue, the report recommends a range of interventions such as reducing or reusing plastic components, improving recycling systems through pilot programs and consultations with the waste industry, and implementing coordinated waste reduction strategies that include expertise from the health, waste, and producer sectors.
Dive Brief:
The healthcare industry’s reliance on single-use plastics contributes to waste, increases supply and operational costs, and results in over 4.3 million metric tons of CO2 equivalent emissions, reveals a new report from Eunomia and Systemiq. According to the report, less than 5% of healthcare plastics are recycled via mechanical processes in North America and Europe. Additionally, the U.S. and Canada alone produced roughly 1.2 million metric tons of single-use healthcare plastic waste in 2023, with Europe contributing an additional 900,000 mt. The report suggests the sector should curb waste through interventions like reducing or reusing certain plastic components and enhancing recycling systems via pilot programs and waste industry consultations.
Dive Insight:
Healthcare is heavily dependent on plastic, but efforts to minimize its use are complicated by factors like health and safety regulations, supply chain issues, and the lack of viable alternatives, the report explains. Furthermore, the management of healthcare plastic waste is complex, inconsistent, and fragmented. A considerable portion of healthcare plastic is categorized as medical waste, requiring specific handling and disposal standards that can complicate recycling or waste reduction efforts.
The report highlights that effective waste reduction strategies must be coordinated and incorporate expertise from the health, waste, and producer sectors and lists contributors from healthcare professionals, plastics producers, healthcare circularity advocates, and waste sector representatives like WM, Veolia North America, and the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council.
Most low-risk healthcare plastic is destined for landfills, but incineration and autoclaves primarily handle infectious or hazardous waste. According to the report, small habit changes can reduce waste without compromising patient care, such as less frequent glove changing or finding safe, durable alternatives to items like gowns or trays. Where possible, healthcare centers should explore paper-based or compostable packaging substitutes, and product designers must consider recyclability or reuse during the design process.
Hospitals also need to collaborate with waste management and recycling service providers to develop clear and straightforward recycling programs. “Waste contractors should be engaged early in pilot design and supported through contracts that reward material recovery and environmental performance, not just volume-based disposal,” the report advises. It also emphasizes the role of the waste and recycling industry in scaling both the supply and demand sides for recycled content usable in healthcare plastics.
Furthermore, the report mentions several successful pilot programs, including one at Northwestern Memorial Hospital in Chicago that diverted 5.4 metric tons of waste from landfills in part through a non-hazardous IV bag collection and recycling program. The program has so far recycled over 170,000 IV bags, and the Northwestern hospital system plans to continue and expand the program. The report also highlighted the challenges related to PVC recycling, regulatory constraints, and the current exemptions of healthcare plastics from regulations in North America and Europe.
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