The escalating global plastic pollution crisis, intensified by the COVID-19 pandemic and the billions of single-use diagnostic tests discarded, is compelling industries and researchers to pioneer innovative, sustainable rapid diagnostic solutions. While biodegradable tests for common illnesses like the flu and COVID-19 are emerging, and researchers are ingeniously repurposing recycled materials, these advancements predominantly originate from the Global North. Low- and middle-income countries, grappling with severe plastic pollution and limited local diagnostic production, urgently require significant investment and regulatory support to transition towards sustainability in this crucial sector.
Dutch company Okos Diagnostics recently introduced what they claim is the first fully biodegradable test kit capable of diagnosing COVID-19, Influenza A and B, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus. This launch follows three years of rigorous prototyping and material testing. Their test case utilizes plant-based agricultural waste, resulting in a complete, user-friendly test kit now available globally for EUR 4.99 (US$ 5.5). A core principle for Okos was ensuring complete biodegradability, not just recyclability, to effectively tackle the issue of used tests accumulating in landfills, particularly in developing nations, as emphasized by co-founder Sander Julian Brus in an interview with SciDev.Net.
Okos estimates their test kit will biodegrade within 10 to 30 months. They are collaborating with Nigeria’s Helix Biogen Institute to assess its biodegradability under real-world conditions. Brus believes that while environmental considerations might have been secondary during the pandemic’s onset, the current endemic phase presents an opportune moment for industry-wide change towards sustainable practices in diagnostics, ensuring a more environmentally responsible approach for future health crises.
Addressing the Mounting Waste Issue
A 2022 World Health Organization report highlighted the immense waste generated by the pandemic, estimating that over 140 million test kits used globally in the initial phase could have produced up to 2,600 tonnes of plastic waste. The United Nations is actively working towards a legally binding agreement to curb plastic pollution by the end of this year, signaling a global commitment to address this environmental challenge.
In Sub-Saharan Africa, where self-testing is vital for managing HIV and other prevalent diseases, contributing significantly to pollution due to inadequate waste disposal infrastructure, explains Collins Odhiambo from the African Society for Laboratory Medicine. OECD projections forecast a tripling of global plastic use by 2060 from 2019 levels, with a more than sixfold increase in Sub-Saharan Africa, underscoring the urgency of sustainable alternatives.
“Waste disposal practices in many regions are rudimentary. Collected waste is often simply dumped,” Odhiambo, based in Kenya, noted in his SciDev.Net interview. He suggests that transitioning to sustainable materials in diagnostic manufacturing could be a solution, but expresses reservations about the current capacity of Africa’s manufacturing sector to support such a transition, both for sustainable and conventional plastic diagnostics.
Currently, most diagnostics and pharmaceuticals in Africa are imported via technology transfers from developed countries. Odhiambo advocates for a shift in practice in the Global North, urging developed nations to adopt sustainable materials, ensuring that technology transfers to Africa include biodegradable material technologies, promoting a more sustainable pathway for diagnostic manufacturing and waste management in the region.
Innovative Materials: From Chewing Gum to Recycled Plastics
Beyond Okos in the Netherlands, a growing number of companies and research institutions are actively engaging in the sustainable diagnostics challenge. British diagnostic firm Abingdon Health is collaborating with sustainable design consultancy Morrama to develop plant fiber-based test cases for various rapid tests, aiming for a market launch by spring 2025.
Researchers at Heriot-Watt University in Scotland have innovated by creating tests from recycled materials, utilizing pellets sourced from diverse items like chewing gum and discarded refrigerator components. Professor Maïwenn Kersaudy-Kerhoas from Heriot-Watt University’s School of Engineering and Physical Sciences, leading the test prototyping, emphasizes that virgin plastic is not a mandatory material for diagnostic tests.
However, Professor Kersaudy-Kerhoas considers recycled materials a transitional solution, advocating for increased investment in manufacturing infrastructure for non-plastic materials in the long term. Elijah Kolawole Oladipo, science director at Helix Biogen Institute, is optimistic about the feasibility of sustainable diagnostics manufacturing in Africa, contingent on attracting sufficient investment.
Helix Biogen Institute’s partnership with Okos on biodegradability studies in soil aims to facilitate local test production in Nigeria and beyond. Oladipo argues that instead of relying on technology transfers from the Global North, African nations should capitalize on their abundant raw materials to establish local sustainable product manufacturing plants. He stresses the urgency of initiating this transition, stating, “If we don’t start now, we can never start,” highlighting the critical need for immediate action towards sustainable diagnostics in Africa.
