Is it possible? – The use of plastic in healthcare
The use of plastic in healthcare presents a paradox. As a direct product of the petrochemical industry's breakthrough after World War II, plastics paved a way for a tremendous innovation for medical devices. Suddenly, it was possible to manufacture sterilisable, single-use medical equipment at a price that traditional materials such as metals, ceramics and glass could not beat. with rising living standards in many countries in the following decades, the demand for quality healthcare grew dramatically, which plastics helped to fulfil.
The other side of the coin was seen during the Covid-19 pandemic. Though single-use plastic medical devices played an essential role in the prevention and control of infection in hospitals, Covid-19 highlighted the challenges of properly managing and discarding the same life-saving devices after use.
What's the solution?
