The plastic from disposable medical devices such as single-use insulin, inhalers and syringes are contributing to a global plastic problem, even with some companies saying they are trying to fix their products’ impact on the Earth. The healthcare industry used a whopping 24 billion pounds of plastic in 2023, according to market research firm BCC Research, with that number expected to increase to 38 billion pounds each year by 2028.
Medical devices companies are aiming to limit the amount of plastic thrown out through measures such as recovering and recycling products, redesigning the products with materials that aren’t petroleum-based and decreasing the amount of plastic in products overall. However, recycling challenges include the devices’ irregular size, potential non-sterile elements and the fact that the devices are often made with materials that can’t be processed at the same time.
“We have an incredibly complex economy full of intricately designed stuff,” said Mitch Ratcliffe, publisher of Earth911, a website with a U.S. recycling facilities database. “We just never thought about taking it apart again.”
Insulin pens may be one of the biggest issues, given that approximately one-third of the 37 million Americans with diabetes use insulin to manage the condition. More than 28 million pounds of plastic were used in the 750 million insulin pens produced by Novo Nordisk in 2023—and practically all of the pens are thought to have been trashed after use. The company has stated that it aims to redesign its products to achieve its goal of net zero emissions by 2045.
