It is difficult to ensure that the materials used to keep packaging sterile, is much of a challenge, especially when it comes to healthcare. The materials used ensure that the patients they come into contact with won’t contaminate the tools that are in this packaging because, by design, it keeps the contamination at a minimum. It it too difficult to monitor whether or not this packaging is sustainable, so even if we were to mandate that, how would it be controlled?
Key Takeaways:
- Healthcare has an issue with packaging sustainability. It is hard to use recycled materials and be sure it is safe.
- Around 3500 tons of healthcare supplies gets put into landfills every day in the U.S. Most is non hazardous so the U.S. isn’t very concerned at the moment.
- With the coronavirus epidemic it is going to be even harder to make sure the healthcare industry doesn’t contribute to a poor environment.
“At last count, approximately 2,800 to 3,500 tons of plastic packaging and plastic product waste from US healthcare facilities gets generated daily, according to the HPRC. Most of that goes into landfills or gets incinerated.”
Read more: https://www.environmentalleader.com/2020/03/healthcare-packaging-struggle/