Material flow analysis of single-use plastics in healthcare: A case study of a surgical hospital in Germany

• The investigated hospital uses 531g of plastic consumables/patient/day. most important consumables are PPE, accounting for 52% the polymers. relevant polymers PP and latex. Plastic packaging accounts an additional 3% weight consumables. studied account 20% hospital's mixed waste. Plastics have become omnipresent in healthcare but quantitative data on mass flows scarce. This study, therefore, performed a material flow analysis single-use medical plastics their surgical Germany. We quantified eight different across six product categories consumables, based evaluation consumption 2018 2019. A total 619 g were used per patient day, which 86% (531 g/patient/day). contributed 16 g/patient/day. major personal protective equipment (49%) incontinence products (22%). Polypropylene with 45 % latex 25% polymers, both tied to use equipment. detailed waste may serve highlight potential steps reduction hospitals.