Earth Day: Raising Awareness and Highlighting the Impact of Healthcare Waste
Southcoast Health 
As a healthcare organization, Southcoast Health is dedicated to protecting and improving human health. But today, we face a growing challenge – the health of our environment directly impacts the health of our communities. That’s why environmental sustainability is more than an ecological concern; it’s a healthcare priority.
Environmental sustainability refers to using natural resources wisely to keep the planet healthy for current and future generations.
Natural resources are materials found in nature that humans use in daily life. They include water, air, soil, forests, sunlight, wind and fossil fuels.
Mismanagement and excess waste can release harmful contaminants into natural resources, such as soil, water and air. Hospitals have many kinds of waste, including:
- Mixed Solid Waste (Trash)
- Recyclables
- Food Waste
- Infectious / Medical Waste
- Chemical Waste
- Pharmaceutical Waste
- E-Waste
Waste also produces greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, which are gases in Earth’s atmosphere that trap heat, keeping the planet warm. While some are natural and necessary for life, human activities, such as generating waste, has increased their levels, leading to climate change.
Methane is a by-product of landfill waste and is a greenhouse gas that is 28 times more potent than carbon dioxide. Waste incineration also produces greenhouse gas emissions when burning.
These greenhouse gas emissions contribute to the long-term shift in global temperatures and weather patterns. While climate changes naturally over time, recent rapid changes are due to increased GHG emissions from burning fossil fuels, deforestation, waste generation, and other industrial activities.
Plastic waste is one of the most damaging to ecosystems and human health. Plastics are found in the most remote corners of the Earth, from ocean trenches to the Arctic Ice, and in the air we breathe. Plastic is non-biodegradable, meaning that it cannot be broken down by bacteria or fungi. Instead, plastic breaks down into smaller and smaller fragments over hundreds of years, known as microplastics. Additionally, the incineration and slow decomposition of plastic waste releases methane and other toxic pollutants.
Both plastic and non-plastic waste affects human health in several ways, mainly due to climate change and toxic substances. Here’s how:
- Climate health impacts
- Increased heat-related illnesses, such as heat exhaustion and heatstroke
- Respiratory issues such as asthma, bronchitis and COPD due to air pollution and greenhouse gases caused from decomposing waste
- Spread of mosquito- and tick-born infectious disease due to warmer temperatures
- Microplastic health impacts
- Respiratory issues, such as lung inflammation and irritation, asthma and bronchitis due to the inhalation of microplastics
- Gut inflammation due to disruption of gut microbiota
- Fertility issues & developmental disorders
- Cancer
Hospitals generate over 29 pounds of waste per bed per day. The best way to manage waste is not to generate it in the first place through source reduction, waste prevention and recycling. Southcoast Health remains committed to reducing our environmental impact and ensuring continued access to quality care for our communities, especially in the face of waste- and climate-related challenges.
For further reading, please visit:
Learn About Sustainability – Environmental Protection Agency
How Health Care Organizations Can be Waste Stewardship Leaders – AMA Journal of Ethics.
What Is Climate Change? | United Nations
Climate Change and Waste: Reducing Waste Can Make a Difference – US EPA
Hidden Fossil Fuels: Plastic Production Drives Climate Change – National Resource Defense Council
Scientists know our bodies are full of microplastics. What are they doing to us? – NPR
