Waste Reduction With Diabetes Devices: Barriers and Ways Ahead

Abstract

Reducing the environmental footprint of medical devices used by people with diabetes remains a challenge within the constraints of current regulatory frameworks. These frameworks, which rightly prioritize patient safety, sterility, and traceability, introduce substantial scientific, operational, and legal barriers to sustainable innovation. Efforts to integrate recycled or biodegradable materials, minimize packaging, or redesign products are often impeded by the complexity of revalidation processes, extensive documentation requirements, and a general lack of regulatory precedent. This commentary examines how such structural constraints hinder progress toward sustainable device design, despite mounting evidence of the environmental toll of single-use technologies. It advocates for a strategic shift toward "Design for Sustainability." Coordinated systemic incentives and regulatory evolution are essential to align sustainability objectives with prevailing safety and quality imperatives.

Keywords: CGM systems; insulin pens; insulin pumps; plastic; waste.