Disposable Medical Supplies

Disposable supplies are often necessary in the medical field to maintain cleanliness and prevent cross contamination. Unfortunately, these products are not a friend the environment. This issue has become more prevalent in the wake of the Covid 19 pandemic due to facemask mandates and the increased use of disposable facemasks around the world. Some companies are conducting research to find solutions to make disposable medical supplies that leave a smaller carbon footprint.

Environmental Impact

In the medical field, tools and devices are either single use or reusable. Single use products do have a larger effect on waste entering the environment, but the reasons to use single use tools and devices take precedence.

“Single-use devices are those devices that are used on one patient during only one procedure and then disposed of. Reusable medical devices are those that require reprocessing after a procedure, such steps as cleaning, disinfecting, and sterilization. When selecting a single-use or disposable item over a reusable medical device, and vice-versa, the number one factor to consider should be guided by any risk to patient safety. In addition to such risks as contamination and infection, environmental impact, cost-efficiency, time-savings are other factors to consider.”

In September 2022, Northwestern University published a research study on the disposable products used in health care. The group of medical students conducted their research at Lurie Children’s Hospital; two teams of five students each partnered with surgeons interested in finding green solutions. One of the things the students evaluated was the contents of the surgical kits used in the hospital.

“The surgical kits used at Lurie Children’s include single-use implements designed to be easy to use and discard. Most of the approximately 100 items in each pack are plastic, and are quickly thrown away after procedures for sanitary reasons and in order to avoid contamination. While separate disciplines have slightly different setups, the fundamentals of each pack are the same with drapes, gowns, table covers, and plastic transfer trays for scalpels and needles.”

While the large environmental impact that these commonly used items pose, the study acknowledges the necessity of keeping items disposable.

“We want to treat these patients, but we’re such large contributors to greenhouse gas emissions,” said Gwyneth Sullivan, a surgical resident research scholar in Lurie Children’s Department of Pediatric Surgery. “Obviously, in healthcare, most of the procedures we do are very necessary. There might not be ways that we can completely stop some of the practices that we need to do, but there definitely are things that we can do to mitigate and reduce our overall impact.”

Strides Being Made

Several companies are trying to develop changes to either make products with more sustainable processes and materials, or developing recycling methods for them. Some are even exploring new sterilization and reprocessing options, but these options are very limited due to the nature of biohazardous materials. One of the biggest challenges facing those trying to make change in the medical field is the PVC plastic being used bags, bottles, tubing, and gloves. The majority of these plastics will end up in landfills. If a more sustainable material was used for these products, the environmental damage produced by disposable medical supplies could be greatly reduced!

To read more about the disposable medical supplies on the market, check out Freedonia Group’s report, “Disposable Medical Supplies”.

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