# 11: Can Hospitals Be Sustainable? Rethinking Plastics in Health Care

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-energy-forum-7083503/11-can-hospitals-be-sustainable-rethinking-plastics-in-health-care
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-energy-forum-7083503/11-can-hospitals-be-sustainable-rethinking-plastics-in-health-care.md
Podcast: [The Energy Forum](https://stenobird.com/podcast/the-energy-forum-7083503)
Published: 2025-07-22T16:05:00+00:00
Episode link: https://energyforum.podbean.com/e/11-can-hospitals-be-sustainable-rethinking-plastics-in-health-care/
Audio file: https://mcdn.podbean.com/mf/web/am260n0g28tee26d/secure_fa5e6849-d056-41cc-b969-00947d6576f1_The_Energy_Forum_Medical_Plastic.mp3
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JSON: https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/the-energy-forum-7083503/episodes/11-can-hospitals-be-sustainable-rethinking-plastics-in-health-care
Duration seconds: 1663

## Resource

The health care sector produces a significant amount of plastic waste, much of it non-contaminated and potentially recyclable. In this episode of “The Energy Forum,” Rachel Meidl, deputy director of the Center for Energy Studies and fellow in energy and sustainability, speaks with Peylina Chu, steering committee chair at the CPHI Sustainability Collective and former executive director of the Healthcare Plastics Recycling Council, about opportunities for the industry to advance sustainability while maintaining patient safety. They discuss the challenges of recycling medical plastics, the potential of advanced technologies, and how petrochemical companies can help drive progress toward a more circular economy. Featured guest: Peylina Chu, https://www.cphi.com/en/about/about/sustainability-collective.html This conversation was recorded on June 26, 2025. Follow Rachel Meidl, LP.D., CHMM on X (@MeidlRachel) and LinkedIn. You can follow @BakerInstitute and @CES_Baker_Inst on X, Instagram, LinkedIn, and YouTube. Learn more about our data-driven, nonpartisan policy research and analysis at bakerinstitute.org.

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