Addressing Emissions Challenges in Healthcare – MaRS Discovery District

The global healthcare system is a significant contributor to climate change, accounting for nearly 5% of global greenhouse emissions, surpassing the aviation industry. Factors such as continuous operation of HVAC systems in hospitals and the reliance on single-use disposables, like personal protective equipment (PPE) and syringes, exacerbate this environmental toll. While these items are essential for maintaining hygiene, their production and disposal contribute substantially to emissions due to the pollution-heavy processes involved, and many do not biodegrade. This presents a perplexing scenario: while healthcare institutions are tasked with promoting health, they also contribute to health issues exacerbated by climate change, such as respiratory diseases linked to wildfires and vector-borne infections driven by higher temperatures.

The Canadian Medical Association reveals that around 80% of healthcare's GHG emissions are indirectly attributable to areas including energy use, transportation, and pharmaceuticals, the latter alone responsible for 25% of emissions. Addressing this requires systemic changes throughout the healthcare sector, balancing patient care with environmental responsibility. Advocacy groups, including Myles Sergeant’s Canadian Coalition of Green Health Care and Fiona Miller’s CASCADES initiative, aim to promote sustainable practices in healthcare. They focus on raising awareness and implementing environmentally friendly strategies, such as optimizing healthcare supply chains and educating healthcare professionals on sustainability.

Implementing these changes can also lead to cost savings. For example, switching to plant-based meals in hospitals has shown significant cost reductions, while also enhancing patient recovery. Hospitals like the Children’s Hospital of Eastern Ontario have initiated programs to implement lower-cost solutions that, in turn, can be reinvested to fund more demanding initiatives, such as updating building infrastructures to meet sustainability standards. Innovations like Toronto’s University Health Network's wastewater energy transfer system exemplify the potential of renewable energy solutions in reducing GHG emissions.

Recycling and reusing materials are crucial in addressing waste in healthcare, where facilities generate about 29 pounds of waste per bed daily. Initiatives to develop reusable medical supplies, like IV bags that can be safely cleaned and reused, are underway, highlighting a need to reduce single-use plastics that frequently compromise health due to microplastics.

Canadian startups are beginning to develop sustainable alternatives, like Aruna Revolution's compostable menstrual-hygiene products that produce lower carbon emissions compared to traditional options. However, the process of shifting to greener alternatives is hindered by greenwashing, where companies may misrepresent their sustainability efforts.

To enforce more rigorous environmental standards, experts like Fiona Miller advocate for regulatory changes, including market access regulations and criteria for product design. The healthcare sector’s inherent purchasing power can drive these changes, pushing companies to prioritize sustainability, quality, and cost-effectiveness. With growing networks and institutional support, these initiatives can emerge as sustainable solutions to provoke significant environmental change in healthcare, emphasizing that improving sustainability does not compromise the quality of care. Thus, the path to a cleaner and more sustainable healthcare system is not only viable but beneficial for both health outcomes and the environment.