Vaccine is defined as a suspension of weakened, killed, or fragmented microorganisms or toxins that is administered primarily to prevent disease. They were developed in 1796 by an English physician, Edward Jenner, to combat smallpox. Since then, scientists and physicians alike have developed thousands of vaccines to tackle all kinds of diseases ranging from chicken pox, influenza and common flu.
Despite the undeniable benefit of vaccines one cannot turn a blind eye to the harmful environmental effects they impose. For instance, global warming has been exacerbated by the crucial issue of CO2 emissions during the production and storage of many vaccinations. The ecology has been further compromised by the constant production of microfibers during the autoclaving, pyrolysis, durning and open disposal of vaccination waste. All of this just touches the surface of environmental harm caused by vaccines and it compares little next to the aftermath of COVID-19.
Once again, there is no doubting the significance of vaccines. More recently, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, vaccinations have prevented 20 million fatalities, saved trillions of dollars for the global economy and became a ray of hope for all people living in lockdown. However, coronavirus vaccination campaigns have unintentionally turned into major generators of plastic and biological waste, having a negative influence on the environment. Medical waste, like all waste, is discarded into the sea which can often end up contaminating food chains and carrying the risk of transmitting microorganisms that can in turn spread diseases as well as making it possible for sharp tools to be lethal for aquatic organisms. Ocean Asia reported a marine organisation which reported the presence of 1.56 billion discarded surgical masks in the ocean of Hong Kong alone, resulting in 4680 to 6240 metric tons of marine plastic pollution which would take 450 years to degrade. This highlights the dangers of medical disposal to our environment. But how ironic it should be that something as important as vaccines that are used to keep people healthy and safe from illness is a cause of indisposition itself.
With each new year coming upon us, new vaccines are and will continue to be brought to attention. This means that our environment will be even more exposed to medical waste damage. Unfortunately, it is difficult to recycle vaccine equipment. For instance, syringes are the main component in vaccine packs, which are usually made of either plastic, glass, or stainless steel, and generally plastic that is used to produce syringes is polypropylene and only one percent of this is recycled while the rest is stored in landfills. Moreover, disposal of vaccines is feasible if they are properly sorted, disinfected and collected which is not a common practice thus making vaccine waste mismanaged and unsustainable.
The negative manner in which vaccines affect the environment is outweighed by the benefits it provides to public health and, to an extent, rightfully so. Nevertheless, the sustainability of our environment is crucial to look out for too. Medical departments and policies should focus their attention on establishing a middle ground which would take in the interest of global health safety while also being environmentally conscious.
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