Last April 18, 2018 the Global Green and Healthy Hospitals (GGHH) Asia team conducted its 1st Webinar Series for 2018 with the topic "Plastics in Healthcare". 

The GGHH Webinar Series offer informational, educational and interactive monthly web events to learn about the latest from the field of sustainable health from experts and GGHH members around the globe. Topics vary from the 10 GGHH Sustainability Goals, to current events of interest, to important research and publications. GGHH Webinars focus in on a specific topic to provide health care sustainability professionals with technical information, real world examples and cutting edge approaches.

In this Webinar's case, attendees delved into the realities, misconceptions and available solutions for health facilities on plastics and the pollution it creates.

"Plastics in Healthcare" Webinar was conducted in light of the growing problems with plastics/waste around the globe especially in Asia, as discussed by Abi Aguilar one of Greenpeace Southeast Asia's Campaigners and the importance of demanding accountability from big corporations where these plastic packaging and products come from. 

While the problem is blowing up, it is also crucial especially for the healthcare sector to step up in terms of understanding the issue through proper identification of the types of plastics, the pros and cons of recycling as well as its environmental impacts that will eventually take toll on human health; and that is what Ruth Stringer, International Science and Policy Coordinator of HCWH Global talked about.

The Webinar was concluded with high hopes, inspiration and solution by Dr. Sardjito General Hospital's Agung Sapto Budi Nugroho when he shared their hospital's best practices on waste management that are not only sustainable but also economical through their unique "Waste Bank" that encourages not only hospital staff but even community members to bring in their waste to be treated, recycled or properly disposed. 

For these conditions, GGHH aims to further expound on the issue of Plastics in healthcare and how it is a big factor in the entire Waste problem.

For those who have not made it to the Webinar Session, a video recording will soon be available in the greenhospitals.net website or send a message to moresa@no-harm.org for more info