Visualize this: microplastics enter your body through the water you drink, the food you eat, and air you breathe.
By Andrea (Andi) Dixon and Merrisa Naidoo
What was once a nightmare has now become the reality. The evidence that humans are increasingly exposed to microplastics is mounting. In recent years, microplastics have been documented in all parts of the human lung, in maternal and foetal placental tissues, human breast milk, human blood, heart blood clots, the brain, legs and most recently; human testicles.
Plastic has managed to colonise every aspect of human life and poses an ongoing crisis for human and planetary health, which will inevitably worsen with the planned dramatic increase in plastic production.
The plastics industry is becoming increasingly influential in shaping policy and public perception, particularly during the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) negotiations for the Global Plastics Treaty (a legally binding instrument aimed at ending plastic pollution across the full lifecycle). In April 2024, during the fourth round of negotiations (INC4), Husky Technologies and the Coalition of Concerned Manufacturers and Businesses of Canada (CCMBC) launched a brazen campaign claiming “Plastics Save Lives,” emphasising plastics’ role in healthcare and other essential services. This narrative starkly contradicts mounting scientific evidence on the health impacts of plastics and its associated toxic chemicals.
This Plastic Free July, GAIA Africa has been working to dismantle the myths and shift the narrative from “Plastics Save Lives” to #PlasticHarmsLives.
Plastic Free July is an initiative that started in Western Australia in 2011 which encourages individual efforts to reduce or eliminate single-use plastics throughout the month of July. It has grown into a global movement and has a much more systemic approach to addressing the growing plastic crisis.
GAIA Africa and its member organisations have been at the forefront, leading various campaigns over the years. These included mapping existing single-use plastic bans in Africa, releasing a case study on Rwanda’s progressive plastic bag ban, and holding a campaign titled ‘The Bag Is Still Here.’ Last year, the theme for Plastic Free July centred around highlighting the alternatives to plastic and zoomed in on Reuse & refill; Repurposing, Consumerism & throw-away culture, Corporate accountability, and zero waste systems (Africa’s identity crisis amidst global corporate interests – GAIA)
Through these efforts, we are committed to revealing the truth, exposing the false solutions and advocating for a plastic-free future. This year, our #PlasticFreeJuly campaign adjusted the lens on plastic & healthcare!
We recently hosted a powerful webinar partnering with healthcare experts from groundWork South Africa and Healthcare Without Harm (HCWH). This event wasn’t just another discussion; it was a deep dive into the impacts the global plastic crisis has on human health, with a sharp focus on Africa’s unique challenges. Our speakers, equipped with expertise and passion, joined a global audience to dismantle the myth that ‘Plastic Saves Lives.’ and expose the harsh reality that#PlasticHarmsLives. The webinar aimed to clarify the role of plastics in healthcare, empower participants to critically evaluate false solutions to the plastics crisis, and ensure the Global Plastics Treaty adequately addresses the health impacts of plastics to protect people and the planet.
Alongside the webinar, we ran a dynamic social media campaign satirising the narrative that ‘Plastics Saves Lives’ and fact-checking the grim facts about plastic in the healthcare sector.
Coming Soon, What You Can Look Forward To:
GAIA Africa’s fight for reduction in healthcare plastics is just beginning. We are about to release an evolving Messaging Guide to Adjusting the Lens on Plastics & Healthcare: a resource designed to educate and empower advocates in the push for #PlasticFreeHealthcare. This September, we will also aim to publish the results of a comprehensive local hospital waste audit to continue spotlighting the overconsumption of single-use plastics in healthcare systems. Additionally, as we gear up for the INC5 negotiations in South Korea in November, we plan to release an impactful podcast about plastic in healthcare – a case for Africa, in collaboration with knowledgeable experts from our member organisation, groundWork South Africa.
Stay tuned for these impactful initiatives and find out how you can join the movement!
Find key highlights from our messaging guide on plastics and healthcare below.
The Problem.
Plastics are Chemicals and Chemicals Harm Lives.
Plastic poses a critical and escalating threat to both human and environmental health. The PlastChem Project identifies that over 16,000 chemicals may be present in plastics, with at least 26% of them being highly hazardous. These toxic and persistent chemicals can leach into food, homes, and ecosystems, leading to significant health and environmental impacts. From production to disposal, plastics release carcinogens, neurotoxicants, and endocrine disruptors that endanger patients, communities, workers, and ecosystems. Developing foetuses, newborns, and young children face the greatest exposure from plastics and its associated toxic chemicals. An example of one of the most toxic and common plastics in healthcare is polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastic, accounting for 26% of medical devices globally. PVC medical devices can leach toxic plasticizers, such as diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP), especially harmful to vulnerable patients like infants in neonatal intensive care units. The production and disposal of PVC involve toxic substances and pollution, with workers and nearby communities at risk of higher mortality rates from exposure-related diseases. Incinerating PVC also releases dangerous pollutants, making it one of the most hazardous polymers, and recycling is complicated by contamination issues, emphasising the need for PVC-free alternatives in healthcare. The case of Hospital Universitario Fundación Valle de Lili in Colombia, that replaced disposable PVC face masks with 100% silicone-based alternatives (reusable up to 100 times), demonstrates the viability of PVC alternatives.
Plastic in the Healthcare Sector.
In the healthcare sector, plastic waste is a significant issue, with Healthcare Without Harm (HCWH) Europe estimating that 36% of healthcare waste is plastic, and 42% of this waste is incinerated, contributing to climate change and environmental harm. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the use of personal protective equipment (PPE) and single-use materials surged, leading to over eight million tons of plastic waste globally, with over 25,000 tons entering the oceans.
Despite their increasing role in healthcare due to cost and ease of manufacturing, the overuse of single-use plastics is beyond problematic. Infection preventionists argue that reusable alternatives often outperform single-use plastics without compromising infection control.
The overconsumption of non-sterile disposable gloves in healthcare is just one single-use plastic case of paramount concern. In 2020, an estimated 360 billion nitrile gloves were produced, largely consumed by the healthcare sector. Studies reveal that gloves are often misused in an estimated 62% of cases and proper handwashing is more effective in many cases for preventing infection spread. The environmental impact of glove overconsumption is substantial, as they are made from fossil fuels and contribute to growing medical waste. The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the need for sustainable practices in healthcare, and tools like the Sustainable Procurement Index for Health can help facilities improve their environmental and social impact in procuring medical supplies. Additionally, the Royal College of Nursing offers several engaging posters promoting appropriate use of these gloves to reduce the abundance of unnecessary cases.
Reducing Plastics in the Healthcare Sector – The Solution.
Innovative Solutions from Africa
In healthcare sectors across Africa, the reliance on plastics for medical services such as syringes, IV bags, and surgical gloves has led to significant waste generation, posing a major challenge for waste management. Due to limited alternatives and infrastructure, many hospitals resort to incineration, emitting harmful pollutants like dioxins and furans. In rural and under-resourced areas, open burning and landfilling are common, further harming the environment and public health.
Despite these issues, there is growing awareness and advocacy for sustainable waste management practices, with initiatives promoting recycling, reuse, and non-incineration technologies like autoclaving and mechanical shredding offering promising solutions.
Efforts in West Africa during the 2015 Ebola outbreak introduced autoclaves designed for sustainable treatment of infectious waste. These autoclaves use high-temperature steam to disinfect waste without pollutants which significantly reduces the carbon footprint compared to incineration. Initially installed in Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Guinea, these autoclaves have proven effective and durable, and similar non-incineration technologies have been implemented in Ghana, Madagascar, Tanzania, and Zambia, supported by the Global Environment Fund (GEF).
South Africa has also seen successful initiatives, such as Pholosong Hospital’s zero-waste-to-landfill project and George Hospital’s onsite treatment of infectious waste. Pholosong Hospital’s efforts have reduced landfill waste and greenhouse gas emissions, improving community health and morale. George Hospital’s installation of a Newster NW50 steriliser has cut transport emissions by 99% and operational costs by 45%, while also reducing waste volume by 75%. Similar technologies have been adopted by other hospitals in the Western Cape, with plans for further expansion.
Additionally, In Ghana and Tanzania, autoclaves and steam-based disinfection systems have replaced traditional incineration.
These cases provide inspiration for sustainable and effective healthcare waste management practices that reduce overconsumption of single-use plastics whilst protecting both the environment and public health in Africa.
Lessons from Global South Hospital Waste Audits
Hospital waste audits are crucial in understanding the scale and nature of plastic consumption in healthcare settings, where plastic can constitute up to three-quarters of the waste generated. Results from Healthcare without Harm (HCWH) Europe’s hospital waste audits have found that 45% of general healthcare waste is plastic with the wipes, gloves and nappies constituting the highest percentage of the plastic. These audits highlight opportunities to reduce plastic consumption and save money by changing products and practices.
HCWH South-East Asian hospital waste audits have found that plastic waste constitutes 40-70% of their total waste, with much of it lacking labelling and manufacturer information, complicating recycling and accountability. This discovery has led hospitals to take significant actions to reduce plastic waste, including avoiding plastic use, seeking alternatives, segregating waste at the source and engaging with manufacturers to minimise plastic dependency.
Following waste audits, several South-East Asian hospitals have taken decisive actions, including:
- Alabang Medical Clinic in the Philippines has introduced waste segregation, proper procurement practices, tagging collected waste, and installing drinking stations, among other initiatives. Their approach includes the phasing out of single-use utensils, optimising garbage bin sizes, weighing generated waste, and fostering continuous improvement through a dedicated waste management committee and guideline manuals.
- Mary Johnston Hospital in the Philippines has implemented measures like equipping housekeeping staff with reusable gloves and masks, reviewing waste management policies, and incentivizing proper waste segregation. They have introduced reusable containers in the cafeteria and sustainable alternatives in patient kits.
- St. Paul Hospital Cavite has focused on policies to reduce single-use plastics, promoting reusable items, and integrating waste management into employee orientation. They have installed water stations, reduced plastic bottles in the cafeteria, and conducted regular audits.
- Universitas Gadjah Mada Academic Hospital in Indonesia has eliminated plastic straws and bottles, encouraged reusable materials, and strengthened their waste management program.
- In Nepal, Tribhuvan University Teaching Hospital has successfully implemented a healthcare waste management system, focusing on waste segregation, installing a biodigester, autoclaving infectious waste, and selling biogas and recyclables to offset costs. These collective efforts highlight a regional shift towards sustainable healthcare waste management.
In conclusion, the growing health impacts that plastics have on the lives and livelihoods of people shatters the plastic industry’s misleading narrative that ‘Plastic Saves Lives.’ The truth is undeniable: #PlasticHarmsLives, and this reality must be acknowledged and addressed on a global scale.
Plastics in the healthcare sector can also be reduced even in the most fragile systems in the Global South and Africa and can pave the way for further cost savings in these systems without risking infection prevention and care of patients.
Plastic pollution is a global health threat and the health of people and ecosystems must be central to the Plastics Treaty. The creation of a legally binding Global Plastics Treaty presents a crucial opportunity to achieve #PlasticFreeHealthcare. We must pay special attention to the health sector, rejecting blanket exemptions to foster innovation in plastic reduction and embrace safe alternatives. Our health and future depend on it.
As world leaders head into what is to be the last round (INC-5) of negotiations for a legally binding GLOBAL PLASTICS TREATY, it is vital that they pay heed to the demands of of health professionals globally which include:
- No blanket exemption for the health sector but instead special consideration.
- A just and equitable Treaty that respects human rights.
- Limits on the production of plastics.
- Prioritises detoxification.
- Ensures transparency of information for plastic products and materials.
- Considers the full life cycle of plastics.
- Addresses unnecessary plastic products including many single use plastics.
At GAIA Africa, we don’t just envision a plastic-free healthcare future—we actively demand it. Follow us on social media for updates on our upcoming activities related to plastic and healthcare.
ENDS.
