Billions of plastic syringes end up in waste, fuelling a hidden environmental crisis. The technology to promote safe recycling already exists - if the healthcare sector can move beyond stigma to embrace these solutions.

How did single-use devices become the norm in healthcare - and what paths were lost along the way? Our "Contingencies" workshop explored history, possibilities, and alternative futures.

How do we ethically research medical plastic waste in hospitals, waste sites, and communities while respecting privacy, avoiding harm, and fostering collaborative, non-exploitative relationships?

Are single-use medical plastics really safer - or just shifting harm elsewhere? This workshop unpacked the hidden risks, toxic legacies, and overlooked impacts of disposable healthcare devices.

Diagnostic waste from single-use tests poses serious environmental and health risks in low-resource settings. Responsibility must shift from under-resourced governments to manufacturers, integrating waste management into diagnostic design and global health policy.

Modern health care’s reliance on disposable equipment contributes significantly to climate change. This wasteful practice, driven by fear and efficiency – not necessity – undermines sustainability and demands a return to reusable alternatives.

Anne Kveim Lie presented research from After the Single Use to healthcare leaders and sustainability professionals in Norway, examining how single-use equipment became associated with cleanliness and safety.

The exhibition explored the rapid research, development, and delivery of the Covid-19 vaccine. For our team, it prompted reflection on vaccine inequity and the environmental impact of pandemic-related waste.