April, 2024
Distinguished Delegates and Chair of the International Negotiation Committee for a Plastics Treaty,
As health professionals who have taken an oath to the ethical principle to first do no harm, we are committed to health and well-being for all. Plastic poses an ongoing crisis for human and planetary health, which will inevitably worsen with the planned dramatic increase in plastics production, unless global action is taken.
We urge delegates to commit to a just and equitable Treaty that respects human rights, limits the production of plastics, eliminates unnecessary plastics products including single use plastic, prioritizes detoxification, and ensures transparency of plastic products and materials. Actions throughout the full life cycle of plastics is necessary to eliminate the harmful effects from production, use, recycling, and disposal of plastics and to protect human and planetary health.
We call on delegates to develop an ambitious and just Treaty to end plastic pollution, including in the health sector. The health sector requires special consideration in the Plastics Treaty, not an exemption. A blanket exemption is inconsistent with the health mission of the sector, and would inhibit innovation and momentum for plastics reduction, reuse, and redesign. It is contrary to growing global efforts for a sustainable health sector.
Plastics have become ubiquitous in healthcare, with a dramatic shift towards single-use items in recent decades (e.g. tubing, examination gloves, catheters, intravenous infusion devices, transfusion sets, diagnostic equipment, gowns, etc). However, many non-essential uses of plastics in the health sector can be eliminated, including non-medical applications (e.g. maintenance, food, interiors, office). Essential uses of plastics can often be detoxified and designed for reuse.
Therefore, we appeal to governments to consider a program of work on plastic products in the health sector, to be further developed, in alignment with other international initiatives on health and chemicals, wastes, greening the supply chain and climate.
There are health impacts at each stage of the plastics life cycle. Plastics used in health care require thousands of hazardous additives (including carcinogens, neurotoxicants, endocrine disruptors) that can leach from products and waste, and persist in the environment, threatening patients, communities, workers (including waste workers), and ecosystems. Exposure to hazardous chemicals from plastic is a particular concern for vulnerable patients including fetuses, newborns, and young children. This toxicity and chronic exposure represents a significant burden of care for the health system around the world. In addition, the lack of full product ingredient information impedes efforts to reuse, recycle, and to move to safer alternatives. Transparency and traceability of hazardous chemicals in healthcare products and articles is therefore essential to speed up the redesign and detoxification of plastic products.
Plastics, and their chemical additives are primarily made from petrochemical feedstocks. Reducing our dangerous dependence on fossil fuel-based plastics will help limit global warming and the further degradation of the planet’s ecosystems. Failing to do so will lead to dire health consequences, and the loss of key natural resources and ecosystem services critical to both human and non-human species health, undermining One Health and planetary health.
Communities, health workers and health systems already face the alarming impacts of plastics production and pollution. The worst impacts of plastics’ production and disposal are not equally distributed, but instead are concentrated in the most vulnerable and under-resourced communities. The treaty should uphold the universal right to a clean, healthy, and sustainable environment, and address the human rights impacts of each stage of plastic production and waste management.
We welcome the resolution WHA76.17 and the report by the Director-General of the World Health Organization (WHO), which recognize the health sector’s “critical role and unique expertise to contribute to the sound management of chemicals and waste and protecting from their harmful impacts on health and well-being”. From reusable textiles and medical devices, to the elimination of unnecessary single use products, health care providers are transforming the sector and have a critical role to play in reducing the public health threat by addressing plastic use and seeking safer alternatives.
We cannot rely on false solutions like chemical recycling that extends unsustainable plastic use and reliance on fossil fuels, which do not generate real health improvements. Only a significant reduction in plastic production and use can do that.
As doctors, nurses, researchers, health care professionals, and associations, we have a moral and professional obligation to prevent harmful exposures to hazardous chemicals from plastics in the health sector. We commit to continuing action to protect human health, and urge your commitment to a Treaty that strongly supports health, human rights and justice. A Treaty that protects the planet is also a Treaty that protects our patients.
Sincerely,
If you and/or your organization would like to endorse the letter, please do so using this form
Health associations
Alliance of Nurses for Healthy Environments,
Armenian Women for Health and Healthy Environment (AWHHE),
Asociación Colombiana de Patología,
Asociación Colombiana de Salud Pública,
Asociación de Bacteriólogos Javerianos
Asociación Latinoamericana de Cirugía Endoscópica,
Asociación Mexicana de Cirugía Endoscópica,
Asociación Mexicana de Cirugía General,
Association Française de Pédiatrie Ambulatoire (AFPA)
Associação pela Saúde Emocional de Crianças_ASEC,
Association of Anaesthetists,
California Nurses for Environmental Health and Justice,
Canadian Association of Nurses for the Environment,
Canadian Association of Physicians for the Environment (CAPE),
Canadian Federation of Medical Students Health and Environment Adaptive Response Task Force,
Center for Public Health and Environmental Development (CEPHED), Nepal,
Center for Sustainable Hospitals, Denmark
Centro Estatal de Vigilancia Epidemiológica y Control de Enfermedades (CEVECE) México,
Climate Code Blue,
Climate and Health Alliance,
Climate Psychiatry Alliance,
Colectivo Cero Desabasto,
Colegio Nacional de Bacteriología, Colombia
Collaborative for Health and Environment (CHE)
Congregations of St Joseph, an NGO at the United Nations
Diaverum, Spain,
Doctors for the Environment Australia,
Empowered At Dusk Women's Association Uganda
Endocrine Society,
Environmental Health Project,
European Confederation of Primary Care Paediatricians
Global Climate and Health Alliance
Global South Coalition for Dignified Menstruation, Nepal
groundWork, Friends of the Earth South Africa,
Health Care Without Harm
Health Environment and Climate Action Foundation (HECAF360)
Instituto de Salud Socioambiental FCM UNR Argentina
Instituto Nacional de Salud Pública de México
International Federation of Medical Students Associations
International Society of Doctors for Environment, ISDE
Italian Cultural Association of Pediatricians
Lanakaná, Brazil
Medical Society Consortium on Climate and Health,
Medical Students for a Sustainable Future,
Médicas y Médicos Por La Nación, México,
Michigan Clinicians for Climate Action,
National Association of Hispanic Nurses – Denver Chapter,
National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners, USA
National League for Nursing, USA
Philippine Academy of Family Physicians - Special Interest Group on Planetary Health
Philippine Medical Association,
Philippine Society of Nephrology
Philippine Society of Public Health Physicians
Physicians for Social Responsibility, San Francisco Bay
Physicians for Social Responsibility, Maine
Physicians for Social Responsibility Oregon
Physicians for Social Responsibility, Pennsylvania
Physicians for Social Responsibility, Texas
Physicians for Social Responsibility, Washington
Planetary Health, Kenya
Planetary Health Eastern Africa Hub
Projeto Hospitais Saudáveis,
Radiologists for a Sustainable Future,
Santa Clara County Medical Association, USA
Society of Latinx Nurses (SOLN)
Sociedad Española de Farmacia Hospitalaria
SPDM Associação Paulista para o Desenvolvimento da Medicina, Brazil
Swiss Medical Association,
The Centre for Sustainable Healthcare
The Environmental Health Leadership Foundation
The Finnish Association of Lifestyle Medicine
The Maryland Psychiatric Society
Tzu Chi Medical Foundation,
UK Faculty of Public Health,
UK Health Alliance on Climate Change
University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Veterinary Sustainability Alliance,
World Federations of Public Health Associations
World Medical Association
Health care facilities and systems
Cejam-hospital geral de Itapevi, Brazil
Clínica San Rafael,
Clínica santa María de Guadalupe,
Dime clínica Neurocardiovascular
E.S.E. Hospital Departamental Universitario Santa Sofía de Caldas,
ESE Hospital San Rafael de Pacho
Fundacion Hospital Municipal Leonidas Lucero FUNDHALL, Argentina
Fundación Hospital San Pedro (Horacio Andrés Mora Bucheli)
Fundación Santa Fe de Bogotá,
Hospital D'María, Veracruz,
Hospital Estadual Americo Brasiliense,
Hospital Estadual Serrana - FAEPA HCFMRP-USP,
Hospital General Salvatierra,
Hospital Monseñor Sanabria, Caja Costarricense de Seguro Social
Hospital Municipal Otumba Bicentenario, Mexico
Hospital Municipal Temoaya,
Hospital Zonal Cutral Co Plaza Huincul,
Ministerio de Salud de Perú
Subred Integrada de Servicios de Salud Norte E.S.E.,
Unimed Vitória, Vitória. Espírito Santo.
Other supporting organizations
AbibiNsroma Foundation
Achievers Ghana
Action for Liberty and Economic Development
Africa Rise Foundation
Angels of Hope, South Africa
A Plastic Planet and Plastic Health Council
ACT Promoção da Saúde,
Asociación Ecológica Santo Tomás, A.C.,
Association For Promotion Sustainable Development, India
Bertha Centre for Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship, University of Cape Town,
Canadian Child Care Federation (CCCF),
Canadian Community of Practice in Ecosystem Approaches to Health (CoPEH-Canada)
Canadian Environmental Law Association
Canadian Partnership for Children's Health and Environment,
Center for International Environmental Law (CIEL)
Centro de Estudos e Pesquisas (CEJAM)
CES Technology SAS, Colombia
Child & Social Development Foundation, Siri Lanka
Children and Young People Living for Peace (CYPLP) Nigeria
Colectiva Malditos Plásticos México
Collaborative Coalition Against Community Challenges (CCACCH)
Community Action Against Plastic Waste (CAPws),
Community Health Empowerment Organisation Limited Uganda (CHEEO),
Earth Island Institute Asia-Pacific
ECOCITY,
Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA)
Fossil Free
Fundación El Árbol,
Fundación FAMICINE, Festiverd, Venezuela
Fund SAF-TESO , Uganda
GAIA Africa (Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives Africa)
Gallifrey Foundation, Switzerland
Girlkind Kenya
Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA)
Grambangla Unnayan Committee, Bangladesh
Health and Environment Justice Support (HEJSupport)
Human Environmental Association for Development,
Humanitarian Enhancement Aid for Resilient Transformation-HEART, Bangladesh
Instituto Movive, Brasil
International Youth Council-Yemen (IYCY)
Investors for Social Change Innovation (ISCI), Cameroon
IRO Organization for Community Development, Iraq
La Red de Acción en Plaguicidas y sus Alternativas para América Latina (RAP-AL) Uruguay
Local Sustainable Communities Organisation (LOSCO), Uganda
Minderoo Foundation
Nawat organization, Syria
Network Advancement Program for Poverty and Disaster Risk Reduction (NAPPDRR), Nigeria
Occupational Health, Safety and Environment Foundation (OSHE foundation),
Oceana, Brazil
One Million Trees 4 Kilifi, Kenya
Projeto Saude e Alegria,
Reacción Climática, Bolivia
RSK Group Ltd,
Red de Acción por los Derechos Ambientales (RADA),
ReThink Plastic
Sisters of St Joseph of Carondelet
SSF - Sustentabilidad Sin Fronteras,
Stichting Huize Aarde,
Street Youth Connection Sierra Leone (SYC-SL)
Sustainable Community Development Hub,
Thesambas Community Based Foundation
Trash Hero World
Tree Adoption Uganda
Voice for Disabled People Association (VDPA),
WALHI/Friends of the Earth Indonesia,
WECF International,
Women's Healthy Environments Network,
Women Unlimited Eswatini
WoodSafe Sustainable Solutions
Youth and Women For Opportunities Uganda
Youth Organization for Hope and Care Zanzibar
Zero Waste Society, Ukraine