Introduction to plastics in health care: Challenges & solutions

This event occurred as part of CleanMed 2025. For information about CleanMed, the premier national conference for leaders in health care sustainability, visit CleanMed.org

In U.S. health care facilities, 20-25% of the 14,000 tons of waste generated daily is plastic. The majority of plastics are produced from fossil fuel-based materials, and their disposal contributes to landfill waste and contaminates our natural environment. Plastics are degraded into microplastics, which contain harmful chemicals that are known to have a multitude of health impacts.

This clinician-led session delved into the deeply intertwined issues of plastic pollution, climate change, and human and planetary health. Speakers explored challenges to reducing plastics in health care, and practical solutions, with insights on how clinicians can lead on reducing plastic use within their organizations. 

Session objectives:

• Understand health care's contribution to the plastic pollution crisis.
• Explore the health impacts from health care plastic pollution on patients and communities.
• Learn how clinicians can engage and lead to reduce plastic use and waste.
• Discover how to overcome complex barriers to tackling the single-use plastics problem.

Speakers

• Hilary Ong
• Bridget Lee
• Hardeep Singh
• Arjun Srinivasan