THE widespread use of single-use lateral flow tests is creating an ‘environmental crisis’, researchers have warned.
A new study published in the Bulletin of the World Health Organisation (WHO) has called for ‘urgent’ action to limit plastic waste in the diagnostic tools.
Researchers from Heriot-Watt University and the University of Edinburgh analysed 21 different Covid-19 kits, with their study highlighting the ‘significant’ variation in plastic usage – varying from six grams to almost 40 grams per test – and identified opportunities for manufacturers to reduce material consumption without compromising effectiveness.
Professor Maïwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas, co-lead of Heriot-Watt University’s global research institute in health and care technologies, said, “We have found few target product profiles that mention the environmental impact of tests, and none provide quantitative measures
“We want these profiles to include a limit of four grams of plastic usage in the lateral flow tests cassettes, for example. Our study showed that was the average weight of plastic in test cassettes, so it’s achievable. We hope this will be adopted as policy and an industry standard.”
Professor Alice Street, an expert in anthropology and health at the University of Edinburgh, added,“Improving access to essential medical testing should not come at the expense of environmental sustainability. Our findings show that reducing plastic waste in test kits is both feasible and necessary.”
The Heriot-Watt team is calling for governments and health organisations to refine environmental standards in diagnostic manufacturing and implement policies that reduce reliance on virgin petrochemical plastics.
More than two billion lateral flow tests are produced annually. The learning institute explained that such tests expand access to healthcare, but their plastic waste burdens waste management systems wordwide.
In regions that lack proper disposal facilities, used test cassettes often end up in landfills and waterways or are openly burned, releasing pollutants. Even in developed nations, recycling these materials remains rare.
Professor Kersaudy-Kerhoas added, “The convenience of lateral flow tests is undeniable, but we must acknowledge the long-term environmental consequences of single-use diagnostics.
“If we do not act now, we risk creating an environmental crisis that undermines the health benefits these tests provide.”
