The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment

Imagine, you are writing a letter (briefing note) to the Minister of Health or manager or somebody else about the issue that relates to nursing.
The topic of the briefing note is :
Topic – The Healthcare sector is a major producer of waste
Issue- Single-use plastic medical waste The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment

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Assignment #1: Briefing Note At a Glance
ï‚´ Identify a nursing issue, and articulate why this
issue is of relevance to nursing
ï‚´ Emphasis on â€˜briefâ€™
ï‚´ 4 pages MAXIMUM (can be 3-4 pages)
ï‚´ Be deliberate and concise with your language
ï‚´ Think about the LENGTH of each section so that
you are within the 3-4 page maximum…

Assignment #1: Briefing Note at a Glance
Outline: think about the LENGTH of each section
ï‚´ Issue (1/2 page maximum)
ï‚´ Background (1/2 – 1 page)
ï‚´ Current Status (1/2 – 1 page)
ï‚´ Key Considerations (1/2 â€“ 1 page)
ï‚´ Options (1/2 â€“ 1 page)
ï‚´ Conclusion/Recommendations (1/2 page max) The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment

Please write 4 pages. I will upload an example of the briefing note and rubric
In the example, you will notice that there are no in-text citations. I prefer to see in-text citations just in case of editing.

Assignment 1: Briefing Note

Briefing Note
Issue: The Healthcare sector is a major producer of waste
The healthcare industry is rapidly growing due to the increased sophistication of medical treatments and increased demand as a result of the increasing incidence of chronic medical conditions. This booming industry is generating more waste than before, According to Gill et al. (2022)The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment, the global healthcare waste generation rate has significantly multiplied in the past few decades due to the growth of the world population, preference for single-use disposable medical devices, and increase in the number of healthcare facilities, innovative medical practices, and safety measures.
The United States generates 3.36 million tons of medical waste annually and has spent approximately 3.7 billion dollars on the treatment and disposal of medical waste. The management of medical waste is of paramount significance for appropriate treatment and disposal of waste given the presence of infectious microorganisms in medical waste, which can affect healthcare staff, patients, and the public(Gill et al, 202). The focus of this paper will be on single-use plastic waste.
Background
Traditionally, materials like ceramics, metals, and glass were used to accommodate healthcare sector needs in the form of medical devices. For instance, tubing made of rubber, intravenous bottles of glass, and metal surgical instruments were utilized widely until the 1930s when tubing of polyvinyl chloride (PVC), and intravenous bags of PVC were introduced. The use of plastic medical devices includes tools such as dressings, syringes, spatulas, and gloves (Gill et al., 2022)The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment.
Twenty-five percent of waste produced by hospitals is plastic. Although single-use plastic is durable, hygienic, and inexpensive which makes it attractive to patient care, it is detrimental to the environment. According to Fletcher et al., (2021), plastic products such as surgical gowns, warps, drapes, and blister packs are widely utilized in healthcare settings as a result of their sterile properties, low cost, and ready availability. Hospitals utilize numerous forms of plastic. For example, PVC is usually found in medical equipment like fluid administration tubes and kits, post-operative face masks, and oxygen masks. The prevalence of PVC is a big challenge since it is usually disposed through incineration, a process that produces unsafe chlorine gas.
Current Status
Plastic waste has become a main environmental concern across the globe. The COVID-10 pandemic has increased demand for single-use plastic, increasing pressure on the plastic waste problem that is already out of control According to Peng et al. (2021), the COVID-19 pandemic has demonstrated the crucial role of plastic in public health safety and the healthcare sector. As of August 23, 2021, approximately 212 million people globally had been infected with the COVID-19 virus. The increase in the number of virus testing and inpatients has led to a substantial increase in the amount of plastic medical waste. To sustain the vast demand for personal protective equipment including face shields, gloves, and face masks, the majority of single-use plastic legislations have been postponed or withdrawn. The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment
Unfortunately, plastic waste treatment and management are not keeping up with the augmented demand for single-use medical products. Peng et al. (2021) indicate that pandemic epicenters are struggling in processing plastic waste and not all the utilized personal protective equipment are recycled or handled. Then, there is the discharge of this mismanaged plastic waste into the environment, with a great portion reaching the ocean. Plastic waste can be moved over long distances in the ocean, come across marine animals, and possibly lead to injury or death. For instance, it is estimated that over 1.5 million face masks got into oceans in 2020.
Key Considerations
A huge amount of non-infected plastic waste is being produced at healthcare facilities globally. Nevertheless, only a small proportion is recycled. Recycling medical plastics is challenging due to a lack of awareness of the appropriate sorting of medical plastics based on use and type. Traditionally, used plastics are either inadequately incinerated or disposed rubbish dumps/ landfills. These practices negatively affect the environment. Plastics are crucial art of the healthcare sector given their high versatility. Joseph et al. (2021) assert that the COVID-19 outbreak demonstrated the increasing demand for single-use plastics. Thus, it can be challenging to completely avoid plastics at this point in time. Recycling of medical plastic is limited majorly due to difficulty in cleaning or sorting. The mismanagement of medical plastics serious issue for public health and the environment, and can be the cause of long term pollution.
Globally, there has been increased demand to reduce the use of plastics. However, the removal of plastic products from the medical industry is still a herculean undertaking to achieve. Joseph et al. (2021) posit that single-use plastics provide massive health benefits in regard to maintaining a sterile environment, hence have become part of day to day life, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic. Although plastics offer immense protection against lethal viruses, single-use plastics can have detrimental impacts on the environment. Hospitals and other healthcare facilities should come up with of reducing or managing single-use medical plastic waste Single-use medical plastic waste can be reduced through recycling or the use of reusable alternatives. The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment
Options
Reducing plastic medical waste is an important undertaking that needs a holistic approach and changes to attain a health system that will have positive impacts on the environment. One way of reducing plastic medical waste is reducing the use of plastics through the use of reusable alternatives. Fletcher et al. (2021) posit reusable alternatives such as reusable linens and reusable sharp containers can help reduce single-use plastic medical waste. For example, there could be a reduction of surgical coverage (items opened before surgery but not utilized) by 45 percent, by replacing single-use plastic products with reusable alternatives, in combination with redesigned supply lists and educational programmes. When opened but unused, these products can be donated to veterinary or medical schools for training. Without a doubt, all products need to be decontaminated through chemical sterilization or autoclaving before each use.
Another way of reducing plastic medical waste is recycling where possible. Recycling single-use plastic devices can assist hospitals to minimize plastic waste. According to Vanapalli et al. (2021), effective recycling of plastics necessitates functional improvements from all stakeholders/ sectors across the plastic value chain. Mandatory resin coding on each plastic packaging would lead to improvements in the recyclability of single-use medical plastics. Restrictions should be imposed on multi-layered plastics along with other complex types of plastic packaging which usually find their way to landfills or are likely to leach into the environment because of their low recyclable value.
Feedstock recycling is an effective technology that can complement mechanical recycling in reducing single-use plastic medical waste. Feedstock recycling is a way of closing the loop through the recovery of materials and thus reducing the requirement for virgin materials. Also, feedstock recycling can work well even f there is sparse contamination of single-use plastic products and it can be a more sustainable solution than landfill or incineration of plastic waste (Vanapalli et al., 2021)The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment.
Conclusion and Recommendations
There is the use of a wide range of single-use plastics in the healthcare sector. The preference for single-use disposable medical devices and the outbreak of COVID-19 increased demand for single-use medical plastic devices. Unfortunately, plastic waste treatment and management are not keeping up with the augmented demand for single-use medical products. Recycling single-use plastic devices can assist hospitals to minimize plastic waste. As such, healthcare workers should be educated on single-use medical plastics that can be recycled and how to sort them. This will improve the sorting of medical plastic waste at the origin or source itself, which will then improve the recycling process. Joseph et al. (2021) allege that medical plastics need to be sorted based on how they can easily be recycled, with plastics with easy recyclability being prioritized at the origin. When recycling medical plastics caution should be taken since they can be infectious. Disinfection of medical waste should be done at its origin to avoid the spread of infections. The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment

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References
Fletcher, C. A., Clair, R., & Sharmina, M. (2021). A framework for assessing the circularity and technological maturity of plastic waste management strategies in hospitals. Journal of Cleaner Production, 306, 127169. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2021.127169
Gill, Y. Q., Khurshid, M., Abid, U., & Ijaz, M. W. (2022). Review of hospital plastic waste management strategies for Pakistan. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 29(7), 9408-9421. doi: 10.1007/s11356-021-17731-9
Joeseph, B., James, J., Kalarikkal, N., & Thomas, S. (2021). Recycling of Medical Plastics. Advanced Industrial and Engineering Polymer Research, 4(3), 199-208. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.aiepr.2021.06.003
Peng, Y., Wu, P., Schartup, A. T., & Zhang, Y. (2021). Plastic waste release caused by COVID-19 and its fate in the global ocean. PNAS, 118(47), e2111530118. https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.2111530118
Vanapalli, K. J., Sharma, H. B., Ranjan, V. P., Samal, B., Bhattacharya, J., Dubey, B. K., & Goel, S. (2021). Challenges and strategies for effective plastic waste management during and post COVID-19 pandemic. Science of the Total Environment, 750, 141514. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2020.141514 The Single-Use Plastics In The Healthcare Sector Assignment