Plastic waste in healthcare: what is happening internationally – how and why

Presentation by Dr Trevor Thornton (Deakin University)

Abstract

Measurement of plastics used in healthcare generally only considers what is used in healthcare facilities – not what is generated from what could be termed domestic use (including hospital in the home services). In addition, a large percentage of plastics in healthcare are “soft plastics that result from the packaging of the actual equipment that is not generally considered in the quest for reductions in plastic usage.

Strategies advocated and implemented internationally will be considered as options that should be adopted in Australia to reduce the total type and quantity of plastics used in healthcare. The learnings will be considered as to how we can implement them. The flow on will be reductions in the domestic generation and greater awareness to the community of what can be achieved.