How The Healthcare Industry Impacts The Environment And Ways To Reduce The Mark

The healthcare industry is one of the most significant contributors to the high amount of greenhouse gas emissions and waste generated, causing pollution and driving climate change. The healthcare sector significantly contributes to environmental degradation, accounting for about 4.6% of global greenhouse gas emissions. This environmental footprint exacerbates global warming, air and water pollution, and other ecological challenges that adversely affect human health and wellbeing. In 2021, air pollution alone was responsible for an estimated 4.6MN disability-adjusted life years (DALYs) lost, underscoring the urgent need for sustainable practices within healthcare systems. 

The activities unfolded within the industry, like the use of specific anesthetic gases or the powering of energy-intensive medical gear, are impacting the environment heavily. The sector has long flown under the radar, but as growing environmental concerns and awareness around planetary health become impossible to ignore, the industry is increasingly compelled to step up its efforts to address its environmental impact. 

This article explores the healthcare industry’s environmental footprint and highlights practical strategies it can adopt to promote a healthier planet. 

How the healthcare industry affects the environment:

The healthcare industry is compared with the fifth biggest polluting country in the world in terms of its impact on the environment, through resource consumption, pollution, and greenhouse gas emissions. It generates nitrous oxide, methane, carbon dioxide, and other greenhouse gases that stem from numerous sources, such as:

• Manufacturing and disposal of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, with over 100K tons consumed yearly;
• Energy consumption – 10.3% of the energy consumed in commercial settings comes from healthcare in the U.S.;
• Transportation, from medical supply transportation to staff and patient travel to freight transport.

The healthcare sector contributes massively to water, soil, and air pollution via the release of toxic substances like nitrogen oxides and sulfur. At the same time, harmful metals resulting from industrial operations that serve as the industry’s backbone contribute to emissions.

Hospitals generate a lot of waste that often contaminates the environment and raises health risks. At the same time, the massive consumption of resources like materials, water, and energy depletes the environment of some of the most vital resources. 

Steps to sustainability in the healthcare system

The healthcare industry’s role in protecting and improving human health is critical, but this doesn’t mean the environmental impact can be overlooked anymore. The global greenhouse gas emissions generated equal the footprint of many countries and ultimately threaten the health outcomes that the industry seeks to improve. As such, healthcare providers and policymakers have started to recognise that adopting sustainable practices is urgent.

It’s time the sector reduced waste 

Healthcare facilities generate various types of waste, including general waste, hazardous materials, pharmaceuticals, and infectious waste. According to a recent study, around 85% of healthcare waste is comparable to domestic waste, which means that a significant portion is recyclable. However, waste separation and disposal remain challenging, mainly because of the presence of hazardous materials.

Many hospitals have launched waste reduction programs and have been committed to them ever since. For example, the U.S.’s Cleveland Clinic has launched a comprehensive recycling initiative that redirects tons of waste from landfills yearly, diverting approximately 47K tons since 2014. Such programs reduce environmental pollution and cut disposal costs significantly. Effective waste management strategies include separating recyclable materials, ditching hazardous supplies safely, and using reusable medical instruments where possible.

Awareness and education need a boost

The healthcare culture must integrate sustainability as one of its core focuses, educating healthcare workers about sustainable practices such as proper waste segregation, energy conservation, and resource management. Visitors and patients also play a big role, with the majority of individuals visiting such an establishment only a few times in life. Simple initiatives like placing recycling bins in waiting
areas and promoting water-saving behaviours help foster an environmentally conscious community.
Healthcare institutions have more on their plate than environmental concerns—they must one-up their
efforts to reduce or eliminate medical slipups, never events, poor communication between medics and
patients, and so on. Many negative consequences occur to patients because they’re treated incorrectly.
Those who aren’t presented with thorough instructions on how to follow their treatment and encounter
aggravations, as well as those whose health and wellbeing are impacted by healthcare providers, can
sue those who breached their duty of care. If you believe you have a valid claim, it might be a good idea
to check out a guide on how to sue the NHS. Resources like this will walk you through the essential steps
to hold the healthcare system accountable, breaking down the process from the lawsuit filing to the
reimbursement.
A focus on energy efficiency
Hospitals and medical centres are among the most energy-intensive facilities, operating around the
clock and needing to meet the high demands for lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and
specialised medical gear. The very same facilities can drastically slash emissions and operational costs by
upgrading to energy-efficient technologies, like photovoltaic systems, cogeneration solutions, and other
alternatives that can produce energy themselves.
Innovations like LED lighting, smart HVAC systems that adjust based on occupancy, and energy
management software can optimize energy consumption. For instance, UCSF Health Energy and Water
has slashed its GHG by 26% since 2015 and maintains a decreasing pattern. 
Energy efficiency measures can lower greenhouse gas emissions while improving hospitals’ resilience
during unpredictable but threatening power outages and emergencies.
Telemedicine, benefiting everyone, anywhere
The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, which enables patients to consult
with medical experts virtually. Telemedicine has eliminated the barriers that hindered many from
getting controlled and healed—those of physical distance. This sector offers significant sustainability
benefits since virtual consultations reduce the need for patients to travel to healthcare facilities,
therefore lowering emissions and congestion.

such an establishment only a few times in life. Simple initiatives like placing recycling bins in waiting areas and promoting water-saving behaviours help foster an environmentally conscious community.

Healthcare institutions have more on their plate than environmental concerns—they must one-up their efforts to reduce or eliminate medical slipups, never events, poor communication between medics and patients, and so on. Many negative consequences occur to patients because they’re treated incorrectly. Those who aren’t presented with thorough instructions on how to follow their treatment and encounter aggravations, as well as those whose health and wellbeing are impacted by healthcare providers, can sue those who breached their duty of care. If you believe you have a valid claim, it might be a good idea to check out a guide on how to sue the NHS. Resources like this will walk you through the essential steps to hold the healthcare system accountable, breaking down the process from the lawsuit filing to the reimbursement.

A focus on energy efficiency 

Hospitals and medical centres are among the most energy-intensive facilities, operating around the clock and needing to meet the high demands for lighting, heating, ventilation, air conditioning, and specialised medical gear. The very same facilities can drastically slash emissions and operational costs by upgrading to energy-efficient technologies, like photovoltaic systems, cogeneration solutions, and other alternatives that can produce energy themselves.

Innovations like LED lighting, smart HVAC systems that adjust based on occupancy, and energy management software can optimize energy consumption. For instance, UCSF Health Energy and Water has slashed its GHG by 26% since 2015 and maintains a decreasing pattern. 

Energy efficiency measures can lower greenhouse gas emissions while improving hospitals’ resilience during unpredictable but threatening power outages and emergencies.

Telemedicine, benefiting everyone, anywhere

The COVID-19 pandemic accelerated the adoption of telemedicine, which enables patients to consult with medical experts virtually. Telemedicine has eliminated the barriers that hindered many from getting controlled and healed—those of physical distance. This sector offers significant sustainability benefits since virtual consultations reduce the need for patients to travel to healthcare facilities, therefore lowering emissions and congestion.

Endnote 

Sustainability in healthcare is no longer optional—it’s a necessity. By realising the industry’s impact and integrating solutions like the four ones approached above, healthcare providers can significantly reduce their environmental footprint.