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Expert view: Brett Duane

British Dental Journal volume 237, page 713 (2024)Cite this article

Reducing single-use plastics in dental practice: a quality improvement project. Br Dent J 2024; 237: 483-486.

In 2022, we argued that HTM 01-05 should provide clearer guidelines that balance the patient safety evidence of promoting single-use plastics (SUPs) against known environmental, health, and financial costs.1 Healthcare, including dentistry, continues to use large quantities of plastics for routine care.2 However, fossil fuel (FF) plastics pose significant harm, contributing to microplastic pollution and being associated with social impact risks, such as poor working conditions.3 They are also difficult to collect, sort, and recycle.

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References

  1. Duane B, Ashley P, Ramasubbu D et al. A review of HTM 01-05 through an environmentally sustainable lens. Br Dent J 2022; 233: 343-350.

  2. Martin N, Mulligan S, Fuzesi P, Hatton P V. Quantification of single use plastics waste generated in clinical dental practice and hospital settings. J Dent 2022; 118: 103948.

  3. Abbott J, Rizan C, Smith JN, Loeken M, Trueba ML, Bhutta MF. Country of Origin of Medical Products and Risk of Labour Rights Abuse: A Cross-Sectional Analysis Using Four Procurement Datasets. Cureus 2024; DOI: 10.7759/cureus.54258.

  4. Brown E, MacDonald A, Allen S, Allen D. The potential for a plastic recycling facility to release microplastic pollution and possible filtration remediation effectiveness. J Hazard Mater Adv 2023; DOI: 10.1016/j.hazadv.2023.100309.

  5. Rizan C, Mortimer F, Stancliffe R, Bhutta M F. Plastics in healthcare: time for a re-evaluation. J R Soc Med 2020; 113: 49-53.

  6. Byrne D, Saget S, Davidson A et al. Comparing the environmental impact of reusable and disposable dental examination kits: a life cycle assessment approach. Br Dent J 2022; 233: 317-325.

  7. RI.SE. Care - Circular flows of plastic & textiles in healthcare. 2024. Available at https://www.ri.se/en/what-we-do/projects/care-circular-flows-of-plastic-textiles-in-healthcare (accessed October 2024).

  8. Health Innovation Centre of Southern Denmark and Syddansk Sundhedsinnovation. Recycling Blood Collection Tubes - a Feasibility Study: Summary of Results. Available at https://syddansksundhedsinnovation.dk/media/nxylyvv0/feasibility-study_summary-of-results_final.pdf (accessed October 2024).

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  1. Trinity College Dublin, College Green, Dublin 2, Republic of Ireland

    Brett Duane

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  1. Brett Duane
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Correspondence to Brett Duane.

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Duane, B. Expert view: Brett Duane. Br Dent J 237, 713 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41415-024-8081-5

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