Volume 8 • 2021 • Issue 3

THE IMPACT OF DENTISTRY ON THE ENVIRONMENT Somewhere in the region of 12 million tons of plastic waste ends up in our oceans each year. That’s equivalent to dumping a full garbage truck of waste into the ocean every minute. Some estimates suggest that by 2050 there will be more plastic than fish in the ocean and whether we want to admit it or not, a proportion of that plastic originates from health care-related activity, including dentistry. Given the new PPE demands introduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, these figures are certain to rise. Dr. Susan Fulop, a general dentist and fellow environmental advocate from Kitchener, Ontario, conservatively estimates that dental offices in Ontario alone may well dispose of up to 30 million sets of PPE this year. And this figure does not include dental hygienists. Worldwide, it is estimated that frontline health care workers are currently using 89 million masks, 30 million gowns, and 76 million gloves every month. The numbers are staggering, and part of the problem is the sheer scale of the challenge–the idea that environmental pollution is such a big problem that we as individuals cannot make a significant difference. For this reason, Dr. Andersen believes that the necessary change starts with a shift in mindset, an acceptance of personal responsibility and an acknowledgment that we cannot be perfect when it comes to environmental waste, no matter how deeply we care. “The first step is really to own this,” she says. “It is not a separate entity from you. Accept that there is a problem and don’t be overwhelmed by it. Believe that the tiniest action you take in a single day matters. The moment you decide you want to do better as an individual and not wait for others to fix the problem, many little changes happen.” Dr. Andersen points to some easy fixes around the dental office: bamboo toothbrushes, reusable gowns, paper cups and digital scanners. She also encourages dentists to demand more environmentally friendly options from dental suppliers, an area where there is currently a dearth of options. “We need people to think differently. Part of the message to dental suppliers is to give dentists more choices. If they hear it enough, they will meet the demand. We are the consumers and therefore the ones who drive the market.” But what about recycling? Aren’t dentists already busy separating out the used plastics in their offices into dedicated bins? Don’t they take what is in those bins and reprocess it and turn it into something useful? “The recycling of plastic is a huge myth,” says Dr. Andersen. “Only 9% of plastic gets recycled. That means 91% ends up in lakes, landfill, or the ocean. An illusion has been created that it’s okay to buy plastic and put it in the recycling bin. But that’s not okay. Almost none of it gets recycled. The mentality should not be to rely on recycling, it should be to ‘rethink, refuse, reuse’ and only after that, then recycle.” Dr. Andersen points to some easy fixes around the dental office: bamboo toothbrushes, reusable gowns, paper cups and digital scanners. I ssues and P eople 34 | 2021 | Issue 3