Global producer responsibility for plastic pollution.

Brand names can be used to hold plastic companies accountable for their items found polluting the environment. We used data from a 5-year (2018-2022) worldwide (84 countries) program to identify brands found on plastic items in the environment through 1576 audit events. We found that 50% of items were unbranded, calling for mandated producer reporting. The top five brands globally were The Coca-Cola Company (11%), PepsiCo (5%), Nestlé (3%), Danone (3%), and Altria (2%), accounting for 24% of the total branded count, and 56 companies accounted for more than 50%. There was a clear and strong log-log linear relationship production (%) = pollution (%) between companies' annual production of plastic and their branded plastic pollution, with food and beverage companies being disproportionately large polluters. Phasing out single-use and short-lived plastic products by the largest polluters would greatly reduce global plastic pollution.

A decision framework for estimating the cost of marine plastic pollution interventions.

Marine plastic pollution has emerged as one of the most pressing environmental challenges of our time. Although there has been a surge in global investment for implementing interventions to mitigate plastic pollution, there has been little attention given to the cost of these interventions. We developed a decision support framework to identify the economic, social, and ecological costs and benefits of plastic pollution interventions for different sectors and stakeholders. We calculated net cost as a function of six cost and benefit categories with the following equation: cost of implementing an intervention (direct, indirect, and nonmonetary costs) minus recovered costs and benefits (monetary and nonmonetary) produced by the interventions. We applied our framework to two quantitative case studies (a solid waste management plan and a trash interceptor) and four comparative case studies, evaluating the costs of beach cleanups and waste-to-energy plants in various contexts, to identify factors that influence the costs of plastic pollution interventions. The socioeconomic context of implementation, the spatial scale of implementation, and the time scale of evaluation all influence costs and the distribution of costs across stakeholders. Our framework provides an approach to estimate and compare the costs of a range of interventions across sociopolitical and economic contexts.

Un Marco de Decisión para Estimar el Costo de Intervenciones en la Contaminación Marina por Plástico Resumen La contaminación marina por plásticos ha emergido como uno de los retos ambientales más prioritarios de nuestro tiempo. Mientras ha habido un aumento en la inversión global para implementar intervenciones para mitigar la contaminación por plásticos, se ha dado poca atención al costo de estas intervenciones. Desarrollamos un marco de soporte a las decisiones para identificar los costos y beneficios económicos, sociales y ecológicos de las intervenciones en la contaminación por plástico para diferentes sectores y partes interesadas. Calculamos el costo neto como una función de 6 categorías de costo y beneficio con la siguiente ecuación: costo de la implementación de una intervención (costos directos, indirectos y no monetarios) menos los costos y beneficios recuperados (monetarios y no monetarios) producidos por las intervenciones. Aplicamos nuestro marco a 2 estudios de caso cuantitativos (un plan de manejo de residuos sólidos y un interceptor de basura) y 4 casos de estudio comparativos evaluando los costos de limpieza de playas y plantas de transformación de desechos a energía en varios contextos para identificar los factores que influyen en los costos de las intervenciones de la contaminación por plástico. El contexto socioeconómico de la implementación, la escala espacial de la implementación y la escala de tiempo de evaluación influyen en los costos y distribución de costos entre las partes interesadas. Nuestro marco proporciona una aproximación para estimar y comparar los costos de una gama de intervenciones en contextos sociopolíticos y económicos.

Impacts of food contact chemicals on human health: a consensus statement.

Food packaging is of high societal value because it conserves and protects food, makes food transportable and conveys information to consumers. It is also relevant for marketing, which is of economic significance. Other types of food contact articles, such as storage containers, processing equipment and filling lines, are also important for food production and food supply. Food contact articles are made up of one or multiple different food contact materials and consist of food contact chemicals. However, food contact chemicals transfer from all types of food contact materials and articles into food and, consequently, are taken up by humans. Here we highlight topics of concern based on scientific findings showing that food contact materials and articles are a relevant exposure pathway for known hazardous substances as well as for a plethora of toxicologically uncharacterized chemicals, both intentionally and non-intentionally added. We describe areas of certainty, like the fact that chemicals migrate from food contact articles into food, and uncertainty, for example unidentified chemicals migrating into food. Current safety assessment of food contact chemicals is ineffective at protecting human health. In addition, society is striving for waste reduction with a focus on food packaging. As a result, solutions are being developed toward reuse, recycling or alternative (non-plastic) materials. However, the critical aspect of chemical safety is often ignored. Developing solutions for improving the safety of food contact chemicals and for tackling the circular economy must include current scientific knowledge. This cannot be done in isolation but must include all relevant experts and stakeholders. Therefore, we provide an overview of areas of concern and related activities that will improve the safety of food contact articles and support a circular economy. Our aim is to initiate a broader discussion involving scientists with relevant expertise but not currently working on food contact materials, and decision makers and influencers addressing single-use food packaging due to environmental concerns. Ultimately, we aim to support science-based decision making in the interest of improving public health. Notably, reducing exposure to hazardous food contact chemicals contributes to the prevention of associated chronic diseases in the human population.

An innovative national health care waste management system in Kyrgyzstan.

A novel low-cost health care waste management system was implemented in all rural hospitals in Kyrgyzstan. The components of the Kyrgyz model include mechanical needle removers, segregation using autoclavable containers, safe transport and storage, autoclave treatment, documentation, recycling of sterilized plastic and metal parts, cement pits for anatomical waste, composting of garden wastes, training, equipment maintenance, and management by safety and quality committees. The gravity-displacement autoclaves were fitted with filters to remove pathogens from the air exhaust. Operating parameters for the autoclaves were determined by thermal and biological tests. A hospital survey showed an average 33% annual cost savings compared to previous costs for waste management. All general hospitals with >25 beds except in the capital Bishkek use the new system, corresponding to 67.3% of all hospital beds. The investment amounted to US$0.61 per capita covered. Acceptance of the new system by the staff, cost savings, revenues from recycled materials, documented improvements in occupational safety, capacity building, and institutionalization enhance the sustainability of the Kyrgyz health care waste management system.

Замена ртутных термометров и сфигмоманометров в системе здравоохранения: техническое руководство

Настоящее краткое руководство содержит указания по поэтапному проведению безопасной замены ртутных термометров и сфигмоманометров в учреждениях здравоохранения. В руководстве описываются имеющиеся ресурсы, позволяющие гарантировать, что альтернативные приборы обеспечат эквивалентную точность и сопоставимое клиническое применение, не оказывая при этом негативного воздействия на работников здравоохранения и окружающую среду. Руководство рассчитано на специалистов, занимающих ответственные должности в медицинских учреждениях или министерствах, которые стремятся перейти в сфере здравоохранения на безопасные технологии, не загрязняющие окружающую среду.Настоящее руководство подготовлено в рамках глобальной инициативы по замене ртутных приборов в системе здравоохранении, в осуществлении которой участвует Всемирная организация здравоохранения. Целью этой глобальной инициативы является содействие повсеместной замене медицинских инструментов, содержащих ртуть, на безопасные, доступные, точные альтернативные приборы. В рамках глобальной инициативы по замене инструментов, содержащих ртуть, уже документально подтверждены факты замены в десятках стран. В ходе осуществления инициативы медицинские специалисты, менеджеры системы здравоохранения и государственные служащие получили дополнительные ресурсы, которые могут быть эффективно использованы для разработки и осуществления политики и стратегии по замене инструментов, содержащих ртуть, в секторе здравоохранения.Настоящее руководство подготовлено в рамках глобальной инициативы по замене ртутных приборов в системе здравоохранении, в осуществлении которой участвует Всемирная организация здравоохранения. Целью этой глобальной инициативы является содействие повсеместной замене медицинских инструментов, содержащих ртуть, на безопасные, доступные, точные альтернативные приборы. В рамках глобальной инициативы по замене инструментов, содержащих ртуть, уже документально подтверждены факты замены в десятках стран. В ходе осуществления инициативы медицинские специалисты, менеджеры системы здравоохранения и государственные служащие получили дополнительные ресурсы, которые могут быть эффективно использованы для разработки и осуществления политики и стратегии по замене инструментов, содержащих ртуть, в секторе здравоохранения.

Reemplazo de los termómetros y de los tensiómetros de mercurio en la atención de salud: guía técnica / Replacement of mercury thermometers sphygmomanometers in health care: technical guidance

Esta guía proporciona instrucciones paso a paso para reemplazar de manera segura los termómetros y tensiómetros con mercurio utilizados en las instituciones de la atención de salud. Identifica los recursos disponibles que respaldan la precisión y utilidad clínicaequivalentes de los productos sustitutos, al tiempo que protege a los trabajadores de la salud y al medio ambiente. Está diseñada para los profesionales responsables por las instituciones, o para los ministerios que desean cambiar a tecnologías más seguras y no contaminantes en la atención de salud.Esta guía también es el resultado de una iniciativa mundial para la atención desalud libre de mercurio, con la cual está comprometida la Organización Mundial de la Salud. Esta iniciativa global busca promover en todo el mundo la sustitución de los instrumentos médicos basados en mercurio con alternativas seguras, asequibles y precisas. La iniciativa global para la atención de salud libre de mercurio ha documentado la sustitución del mercurio en docenas de países. También ha producido una serie de recursos adicionales para los profesionales de la salud, gerentes de sistemas de salud y funcionarios del gobierno, que pueden ser útiles para el desarrollo y la implementación de políticas y estrategias de sustitución del mercurio en el sector de la salud.