According to the BSMS Sustainable Healthcare Group, the NHS generates around 22 million tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalents (CO2) each year in England, and 5.4% of net UK greenhouse gas emissions. There is also increasing reliance on single-use plastics in global healthcare which generates millions of tonnes of plastic waste per year.
Many of the products used within UK healthcare are manufactured overseas, creating impacts on the environment through transport. There are also reports of widespread violations of labour rights in the manufacture of medical gloves, face masks, surgical instruments, and medical textiles.
Chantelle Rizan said: “Surgery is a resource intensive area which poses a major challenge in us meeting Net Zero carbon emissions within the NHS. We have a responsibility to our future generations of patients and surgeons to improve the sustainability of surgery.”
“This competition is a fantastic opportunity for surgical teams to gain support in translating their ideas on how to improve sustainability into reality, and to gain skills in quantifying the benefits in line with the triple bottom line of sustainability. I am sure many surgeons and allied professionals are doing great things to reduce their environmental impact, and we want to showcase this.’”