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• Contributing some 4.4% of global carbon emissions, the healthcare sector is ranked among the major institutional contributors to climate change.
• With an ambition for net zero by 2045, the NHS sets procurement standards and forces change on the global medical supply chains.

Can Your Hospital Reduce Emissions Without Risking Your Safety?

Every time you walk into a clinic, undergo a medical scan, or even collect a prescription, there’s a hidden environmental cost. The healthcare industry, while devoted to preserving life, leaves behind a substantial ecological footprint. Much of this impact is caused by the materials, energy, and infrastructure required to maintain stringent safety and hygiene standards. As the urgency of climate change grows, hospitals, manufacturers, regulators, and patients alike must ask a critical question: Can healthcare become more sustainable while maintaining patient and provider safety?

The Global Carbon Cost of Medical Care

The statistics are sobering. According to a report by Health Care Without Harm and Arup, the worldwide healthcare sector emits more than 2 gigatons of CO2-equivalent emissions per year, accounting for 4.4% of total global emissions. If the sector were a country, it would be the fifth-largest emitter globally.

These emissions are not just those of big, energy-hungry buildings but also the pharmaceutical industry, medical supply chains, and their disposal methods. While the lion’s share of industrial emissions, the sort that increases greenhouse gas concentration levels in the atmosphere, is in the U.S., China, and the European Union, with increasing healthcare access in emerging markets, their emissions are starting to go up, too. This presents a problem that goes beyond borders.

The UK’s NHS: Setting a National Example

In 2020, the UK’s became the first health system in the world to commit to becoming net zero. Its timeline is ambitious: net zero for direct emissions by 2040, and for its entire supply chain by 2045. Given that the NHS accounts for nearly 5% of the UK’s carbon footprint, this move carries significant weight.

To meet these goals, the NHS is overhauling how it powers its hospitals, procures medical supplies, and delivers care. Some early strategies include:

• Transitioning hospital energy use to renewables
• Replacing diesel ambulances with electric or hybrid models
• Reducing staff and patient travel through telemedicine
• Creating strict emissions requirements for suppliers

This transformation is pushing healthcare brands operating in the UK to examine their practices. Those who fail to demonstrate carbon reductions may lose contracts.

Rethinking the Single-Use Culture

Globally, the medical field relies heavily on single-use items—from gloves and syringes to surgical gowns and instruments. The rationale is simple: disposables lower infection risk. But the volume of waste is staggering. A study published in The Lancet during the COVID-19 pandemic estimated that the world was using 129 billion face masks and 65 billion gloves per month at the peak of the crisis.

Can hospitals shift away from disposables without raising infection rates? In parts of Scandinavia and Germany, hospitals have already begun to safely reintroduce reusable gowns and drapes, supported by advanced sterilisation protocols and high-quality autoclaving systems. These programmes are closely monitored to ensure compliance with hygiene standards. Early results show promising reductions in waste and long-term cost savings.

Design is Part of the Problem—and the Solution

Much of the waste issue stems not just from usage but from product design. Many medical items are made from blended plastics or layered composites that are nearly impossible to recycle. A growing number of medical suppliers are now experimenting with more sustainable alternatives.

RAUMEDIC, for instance, has developed a Green Syringe that reduces carbon emissions by 71% compared to traditional designs. Bayer is testing single-material blister packs that reduce environmental impact by over 30%. These changes, though incremental, point to a growing trend of materials innovation in healthcare.

Smarter Hospitals: Infrastructure as Impact

Beyond consumables, the energy use of healthcare buildings represents a major share of emissions. Hospitals run 24/7. Operating rooms require controlled climates. Diagnostic imaging equipment draws massive power.

To address this, several health systems are building energy-efficient facilities from the ground up. The Royal Adelaide Hospital in Australia incorporates photovoltaic solar panels, a thermal energy storage system, and rainwater harvesting. In the UK, the new Royal Liverpool University Hospital features energy-saving glass, low-carbon heating systems, and automated energy controls that adjust power use based on occupancy and time of day.

Digital Tools, Real Reductions

Digital health has a clear role to play. Video consultations, remote patient monitoring, and virtual follow-ups all reduce the need for physical visits, which in turn cuts down travel-related emissions.

In Ontario, Canada, the Ontario Telemedicine Network helped patients avoid travelling approximately 270 million kilometres in 2017, significantly reducing emissions. These are not marginal gains—they reflect a shift in how care is delivered.

Supply Chains Under Scrutiny

Medical supply chains are global and complex. From the extraction of raw materials to the final packaging of medicines, emissions accumulate at every stage.

Organisations like Kaiser Permanente in the US and the NHS in the UK are now requiring suppliers to disclose their carbon footprints. Some have already introduced tiered procurement models, giving preference to vendors that meet sustainability thresholds.

Multinational brands such as Johnson & Johnson and GE Healthcare are responding by launching “green lines�� of products with reduced packaging, more efficient manufacturing, and simplified shipping processes.

The Regulation Balancing Act

One of the greatest challenges in this transition is regulation. Medical devices and pharmaceuticals must meet strict safety and efficacy standards. Altering materials or manufacturing processes requires re-certification, which can take years.

That said, progress is happening. In Europe, the Medical Device Regulation (MDR) now includes clauses that allow for eco-friendly design, so long as safety is proven. In the US, the FDA has begun exploring frameworks for accelerated approval of green alternatives.

The Economics of Green Healthcare

While upfront costs can be higher, sustainable solutions often pay off over time. Reusable surgical kits, for instance, carry a larger initial investment but reduce waste disposal fees and recurring purchase costs. Green buildings, though costlier to construct, save on utilities for decades.

In Thailand, the Ministry of Public Health has implemented energy-efficient lighting and water-saving systems in over 700 hospitals, reducing costs by millions of baht annually.

What Patients Can Do

Sustainable healthcare is not solely the responsibility of hospitals and corporations. Patients play a role too. By asking providers about telemedicine options, choosing digital prescriptions, returning unused medications safely, or supporting healthcare brands with sustainability credentials, individuals can drive demand for cleaner systems.

Leading Brands Making a Difference

Several global healthcare brands are moving the needle:

• Philips now refurbishes imaging machines to extend lifespan and cut e-waste
• Siemens Healthineers has reduced energy use across its global manufacturing sites by over 25% since 2015
• Becton Dickinson (BD) has introduced recycling programs for sharps containers in North America and Europe

A Global Mandate

From the NHS in the UK, Singapore health networks, Canada, South Africa, and health networks in South Africa, the move toward green healthcare is becoming a global imperative. As climate threats grow more acute, the sector must find ways to protect lives without endangering the planet.

What’s clear is that sustainable healthcare isn’t an either-or choice. It’s a layered strategy that spans procurement, design, regulation, and care delivery. Safety and sustainability must develop in parallel, without competing. Rather, these two developments should be engaged in a dance with each other.