At Erasmus School of Health Policy & Management (ESHPM), we are honored to host a striking piece of art: the Polyfant. Created by artist and nurse Rebecca Banens, the Polyfant is sculpted entirely from the discarded clean plastic waste of approximately 200 cataract surgeries鈥攎aterials that, despite being uncontaminated and recyclable, are instead routinely incinerated.
Shaped like an elephant, the Polyfant stands as a symbol of the elephant in the room鈥攖he staggering environmental footprint of healthcare. To raise awareness, the Polyfant travels to various locations across the Netherlands. After responding to a call from the Ministry of Health seeking a new temporary home for the Polyfant, we picked it up from its previous display at Fontys University of Applied Sciences.
Healing at a Cost
Modern healthcare is a paradox: while it saves lives and enhances well-being, it is also a major contributor to global waste, energy consumption, and carbon emissions.
Medical waste is mounting. Every year, hospitals generate millions of tons of plastic waste. In Europe alone, estimates suggest that up to 85% of this waste is non-infectious and could be reused or recycled (WHO, 2017). Instead, most of it is treated as hazardous and unnecessarily incinerated, adding to pollution and carbon emissions and wasting valuable material.
The COVID-19 pandemic intensified the crisis. Estimates suggest that worldwide about 1.6 million tons of plastic waste were created daily (Benson, Bassey, Palanisami, 2021) much of which ended up in landfills, incinerators, or worse鈥攐ur oceans and waterways. While the pandemic crisis has passed, the plastic crisis persists.
In the Netherlands alone, around 180,000 cataract surgeries are performed each year. If we collected the clean plastic waste from all these procedures, ESHPM would need to host a herd of 900 Polyfants. While the image may seem amusing, the reality is not.
A Crisis That Touches Us All
The impact of healthcare鈥檚 plastic reliance is no longer distant. Microplastics are now found in human placentas, kidneys, lungs, and brains. The very materials designed to safeguard human health are now embedded within our biology鈥攚ith unknown long-term consequences.
Fortunately, solutions are emerging. Biodegradable materials, reusable products, and innovative recycling initiatives offer alternatives to single-use plastics. However, true change requires more than just isolated innovations鈥攊t demands a system-wide transition.
At ESHPM, we are uniquely positioned to drive this transition. As a leading hub for health policy and management research and education, we go beyond quality, affordability and accessibility to rethink healthcare鈥檚 sustainability. Our expertise in health economics, policy analysis, law, management, governance, and system innovation enables us to develop holistic strategies for reducing healthcare鈥檚 environmental impact.
Let鈥檚 Not Ignore the Elephant in the Room
By hosting the Polyfant, we aim to spark conversations and inspire action. This artwork challenges us not just to recognize the issue but to drive meaningful change鈥攂ecause how we design and manage healthcare today will shape the health of our world tomorrow.
The Polyfant will be on display at ESHPM until the end of March. We invite you to take a closer look, reflect on its significance, and join the conversation about building a more sustainable healthcare system.
The elephant is here. The question is: how will we address it?
This blogpost is written by Maike Tietschert & Erik van Raaij
- Assistant professor
- Professor
