Annual carbon footprint of a gastrointestinal endoscopy suite in Germany

Abstract

Despite ‘green endoscopy’ has meanwhile been regarded as a highly relevant topic, the scientific basis of ongoing discussions and various position statements is poor. We developed a tool for calculating the yearly emissions of a middle-sized gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy unit in Germany (8000 procedures per year). Calculation was based on in-house energy consumption as well as emissions caused by production and transportation of consumables related to endoscopic procedures. The total amount of emitted carbon dioxide equivalents in 2022 was 62.72 tons. Based on our data, a further reduction in emissions can be achieved primarily by reduction of the heating power and switching to alternative products for endoscopic accessories while avoiding long delivery routes by plane.

Research highlights

• "Here, for the first time, we were able to present a detailed analysis of various factors involved in the corporate carbon footprint of a middle-sized GI endoscopy unit (7500–8000 examinations per year)."
• "Overall, our calculations resulted in a total yearly production of 62.72 tons of carbon dioxide equivalents."
  
• "Nevertheless, despite that the overall carbon dioxide emissions appear to be rather low, considering the global climate crisis, there is still room for further improvement.

Methods & Results

For a complete summary of this data source and to see reported environmental impact values for studied products and activities, explore the HealthcareLCA Database.

Citation

Henniger D, Windsheimer M, Beck H, Brand M, Lux T, Hann A, Meining A. Assessment of the yearly carbon emission of a gastrointestinal endoscopy unit. Gut. 2023;gutjnl–2023–329940