Instrumental Change reflects on the materials used in the development, transformation and evolution of medical practice. Featuring objects from the Museum of Medicine and Health’s fascinating collection, this pop-up exhibition raises important questions about material functions, sustainability and innovation in contemporary medical practices.
2019 has seen an increase in social awareness concerning material sustainability. With the likes of Extinction Rebellion and Greta Thunberg’s constant appearance on our screens, the question of human impact on the ecosystem are more prominent now than ever before. While people are beginning to realise that the materials we use in our day to day lives are having an impact on the health of the individual, the general population and the planet, there seems to be a lack of conversation surrounding the materials we use for medicine.
Medical materials have a unique meaning, in that the materials we encounter during our most vulnerable moments can quite literally change and even save someone’s life. From the metal sterilisation kit that enables life saving surgery, to the disposable syringe that enables your flu jab, questions about the development, transformation and sustainability of these products is ever present but often not discussed beyond medical professionals.
The reason for this lack of public discussion may be the complexity of the matter and common perceptions of certain materials. For example, in recent years plastics, especially disposable plastics, have become almost ‘demonised’. It has been estimated that in a single year one medical practice in the UK could easily dispose of 11,520 syringes. By this estimated, in just one year in the UK and Wales alone, 165,000,000 syringes are disposed of. Furthermore, the pollution caused by this plastic does not end when the syringe is thrown away. As, not only do we need to consider the syringe itself, but in order to follow safe disposal guidelines the syringes and other medical waste produced by medical practices, must place their waste in plastic containers for disposal. Syringes alone require a large quantity of extra plastic which has been created with the intent to be incinerated.
Yet the ethics surrounding this issue are blurry. No one can deny that these figures are high, and no doubt contributing to the global Eco crisis however, for the health and safety of patients, syringes cannot be reused. Even if metal syringes were used and sterilised the risk of a mistake causing infection is too high; the time it would take to sterilise enough syringes for daily use is too long and the increased workload on an already struggling NHS staff is possibly too much to ask. Furthermore, it is likely that patients would not want their procedure to be performed using a multi-use syringe due to the increased risks associated.
So, we must ask ourselves, is the medical profession doing enough to solve these issues? Should the medical profession be exempt from increasing concerns around the environment? And is it even possible for the medical profession to dramatically increase their material sustainability.
To make up your mind, why not come along to the pop up exhibition- Instrumental Change, at Manchester Central Library, 11th December.
Written by Amy Harris.