Even corn plastic has problems with proper waste disposal. If they end up in compacted landfills, they might be packed so tightly that no bacteria can feasibly help decompose them. They can take about 100 to 1000 years to decompose because they will. They also can't be recycled, but have to be composted, which not everyone does. In fact, there are only 113 composting facilities in the United States, and most states and municipalities haven't set up any government composting system.

It seems like the absolute best way to prevent both plastic chemicals and diseases from entering the environment is to sanitize and reuse durable hospital materials. It's amazing how molding, transporting, distributing, and disposing of medical equipment each time they are used is somehow more efficient than just washing them.