Why businesses need to play their part in tackling plastic pollution

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Many people will be surprised to know just how little plastic waste is currently recycled. Some of the latest figures from the Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD), show that as little as 9% of the 460 million tonnes of plastic waste produced each year is recycled, while 22% is mismanaged and disposed of incorrectly. Ian Culligan, head of health and environment insight at Bupa, and Rachel Donnison, health and environment insight specialist at Bupa discusses.

In early June, the U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) hosted the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) on Plastic Pollution in Paris to develop an international legally binding framework to address this environmental issue. The negotiations (known as INC-2) concluded with an agreement that a draft treaty outlining measures such as reducing plastic production, improving recycling and waste management systems, promoting sustainable alternatives, and fostering innovation in packaging and materials, will be shared in November.  

While it’s unclear which industries will be involved, organisations such as Health Care Without Harm are calling for health to be a central part of the discussion. Combined with World Environment Day this year (5 June) which focused on beating plastic pollution, the call for governments, businesses and individuals to help tackle this huge climate challenge cannot be ignored.  

Plastics in the health care sector 

Although we’re still understanding the direct impacts of plastic pollution on human health, a number of negative impacts have already been observed. For example, plastics in our oceans and waterways break down into tiny particles known as microplastics which can find their way into our bodies via the food chain causing inflammation, disrupting our hormones or activating our immune system. At the same time, burning or incinerating plastic waste releases toxic gases into the air which can trigger respiratory issues such as asthma, bronchitis, and allergies.  

Tackling plastic pollution is a huge task for all sectors. The use of plastic in healthcare settings is extensive and at Bupa, we’re looking at how we tackle plastics within our business and the wider industry. We know we don’t have all the answers but we’re starting to work with others across our sector, along with start-ups and sustainability partners, in line with our new sustainability strategy to help tackle this issue and identify solutions.  

A number of these actions align with our ambition to identify circular solutions for non-hazardous waste across all our markets by 2025 as part of our sustainability strategy, leveraging partnerships and driving innovation to amplify our impact.  

Offices 

We understand that encouraging positive behaviour change in our colleagues can have a significant impact on cutting plastic waste. Our Sanitas business in Madrid recently achieved the AENOR Zero Waste Certificate in recognition of their efforts to recover more than 90% of their waste, enabling it to be reused as raw materials and put back into production. In the last month, nearly 1,000 colleagues managed to avoid 90kg of plastic from single-use bottles, the equivalent of 620kg of carbon emissions, which is the same amount of carbon sequestered by 10 tree saplings over 10 years. 

Businesses can also work with external partners to help find new innovative solutions to reducing plastic in the workplace. For example, at Bupa, we’ve been running our eco-Disruptive programme since 2021 to identify start-ups that are pioneering new sustainability ideas that can help address challenges within our business and sector.  

Healthcare settings 

A key challenge within health clinics is that most single use plastic items that are essential for healthcare delivery are considered clinical waste and can't be recycled. At Bupa, colleagues are already starting to tackle some of these challenges while ensuring there is no compromise to the quality of clinical care. Steps they are already taking to reduce the plastic footprint in clinics include: identifying where the deployment of high usage plastic items such as gloves can be safely reduced, sourcing more sustainable alternatives to disinfectant wipes and reducing the number of single use drugs trays. 

We’re also working with Upcycled Medical through our eco-Disruptive programme, who have created medical clothing made from a combination of textiles and post-consumer polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastic waste from food and drink packaging collected from oceans and landfill. 4,000 tonnes of plastic waste can make 13,300 metres of fabric and save 36% on carbon emissions, 39% of energy consumption and 34% of water usage. Their high sterile scrubs and aprons are currently being worn by colleagues at the Cromwell Hospital in London.  

Local communities  

Working with local communities to tackle plastic waste can help with recycling efforts and also create healthier environments for people to live in. Our Bupa Global business has partnered with VeryNile in Egypt, working with local fishermen to remove plastic waste from the River Nile in Cairo. This project is helping to secure their livelihood as fish stocks in the river have plummeted due to pollution.   

Since the project started, over 10,000kg of waste has been removed from the Nile which is being recycled into products created by local women who would otherwise be unemployed. The Nile is crucial to the health of Egypt and cleaning it up is not only good for the health of those living around it, but for the surrounding ecosystems too. 

A plastic-free future  

These are some early examples of actions Bupa is taking but we know there is still more to do. Embracing sustainable practices, raising awareness, collaborating with others and advocating for change is critical to achieving a plastic-free future. The spotlight is on plastic pollution as the world awaits the treaty expected in November which will reinforce the need for everyone to play their part in cutting their plastic footprint.