Single-use plastics in healthcare across five facilities: Using life cycle and material flow analyses to inform circular economy scenarios

The healthcare sector depends heavily on single-use plastics, generating significant environmental burdens. This study quantified plastic consumption and associated life cycle impacts across five healthcare facilities within a US health system and evaluated circular economy strategies for impact reduction. Procurement data served as main input for a combined Material Flow Analysis and Life Cycle Assessment. The analysis quantified plastic mass flows, identified environmental hotspots by product category, department, and facility, and modeled circular interventions co-developed with clinical stakeholders. The facilities collectively consumed 1388 metric tons of plastics, corresponding to 4.9 × 10⁶ kg CO₂ eq, considering upstream processes and excluding use-phase and end-of-life impacts in the baseline analysis, while selected intervention scenarios model changes in upstream and end-of-life processes. Personal protective equipment represented the dominant source of both plastic mass and emissions. Circular economy scenarios could achieve a maximum reduction of 12% in plastic mass and 25% in greenhouse gas emissions across facilities.