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NYU Langone Health is eliminating more than 5 million pieces of plastic from its serveware.
This includes removing plastic bowls, cutlery and more – which amounts to taking more than 62,000 pounds of conventional plastic out of circulation.
The focus is on dining, since food packaging is one of the primary sources of human plastic exposure, the health system said, citing a study that shows microplastics are in nearly every human organ. It is found in bodily fluids, hair and other organs, and is linked to conditions such as heart disease, infertility and cancer.
A 2021 peer-reviewed study conducted in NYU Langone's kitchen found that foodware and packaging accounted for a significant share of the hospital's 442,000 kg of annual waste, most of which ends up in landfills.
So far, the health system said it has replaced 68% of its plastic serveware with paper and bagasse-based alternatives, which biodegrade in 60 to 90 days, compared with 500 years for plastic. By the end of this month, the changes are expected to eliminate 28% of the remaining conventional plastic serveware.
The effort addresses the public health risks of plastic exposure and the environmental cost of plastic waste, NYU Langone said.
"It's an investment in the health of all of our stakeholders and the health of the world," said Michael Currlin, associate director of procurement at NYU Langone. "And it's also helping us get closer to achieving our goal of reducing our carbon emissions by 50% by 2030."
Email the writer: SMorse@himss.org