Why I think reducing plastic waste is important

It took me some time to decide whether to share this more personal topic here, but – perhaps because today is my birthday  – I felt it was the right moment to bring attention to an issue that has become deeply important to me.

Those who know me well, or have met me in the past few weeks, know that I spent several weeks abroad this summer with my family. During that time, I had the privilege of immersing myself in local village life and observing a sea turtle conservation project, which had been a long-held dream of mine.

While we were there, we collected plastic waste on the beach nearly every day. It wasn’t just plastic bottles and caps, although there were plenty of those, but also countless plastic diapers and even discarded medicines. Seeing piles of trash at the beach, along the roads, and even in protected national parks, broke my heart. The global issue of plastic pollution is undeniable. If you need further convincing, I recently came across an article in Nature that dives into the topic (“A local-to-global emissions inventory of macroplastic pollution”).

As someone who works in the medical device industry, I am aware that we contribute to this problem through the production of massive amounts of single-use items and plastic waste. It’s time we, as an industry, reflect on the choices we make and take meaningful steps to reduce this waste.

Personally, I’m committed to supporting start-ups that are tackling this challenge, and I’m ready to offer my expertise, experience, and network to help drive change. In that spirit, I’m sharing a Quick Guide that my colleague Tamara Müller and I developed during the CAS Health & Environment course earlier this year. And yes, those who joined me in the CAS won’t be surprised to see me posting about reducing plastic waste 😉.

Let’s all take action! Even the smallest step makes a difference. Think about how you could reduce plastic waste in your medical device projects. And on a more personal side - this Friday and Saturday (September 13th/14th) is Clean-Up Day 2024 - an ideal opportunity to get involved. I encourage you to check out local initiatives and participate. Together, we can make an impact!