Jointly hosted by the Edinburgh Earth Initiative and the Global Research Institute of Health and Care Engineering, the workshop "The plastic pandemic: Rethinking medical device innovation, use, and disposal for a circular economy" was held at the University of Edinburgh on June 1st, 2023. The objective was to bring together professionals from different disciplines to explore the contingent histories and possible futures of single-use medical devices.
The event gathered experts in the field, including Ruth Stringer, Health Care Without Harm's Science and policy coordinator, who was one of the speakers shedding light on tackling syringe waste at the point of use. Ruth provided details on trials to recycle syringes in Nepal, emphasizing how this approach can improve safety from needle-stick injuries while reducing costs and CO2 emissions. She added, "Understanding the different pressures that have caused our over-use of plastics and how we need to consider the whole life cycle from design to disposal is crucial to solve the plastics crisis."
Ruth Stringer participated in the workshop "The plastic pandemic: rethinking medical device innovation, use, and disposal for a circular economy". Photo: Stuart Tweedie | University of Edinburgh
To learn more about taking action and accessing valuable resources and guides on plastics in the health care sector, visit our Plastics resource page here.