CO2 Emissions Calculator for Commercially Reprocessed Single Use Medical Devices

Case study submitted as part of Lancet Commission call for case studies.

Team members / location: USA

Issue: US and UK estimates show the supply chain to cause the majority of emissions from hospitals. Single use disposable devices (SUDs) are one of the major drivers of CO2. But using regulated, reprocessed SUDs is a solution that is readily available - immediately - to hospitals looking to not only reduce emissions but also be able to document the reductions.

Intervention: We created a free tool for hospitals to use to measure CO2 emissions reductions from using reprocessed SUDs. The calculator is powered by 8 peer reviewed life cycle assessments.

Outcomes: 

• Environmental
  Over 9,500 hospitals in 17 countries use regulated, commercially reprocessed devices. In 2023, nearly 31 million reprocessed devices were used. This means that hospitals saved roughly 12,710,000 KgCO2e last year. More precise numbers will be released soon by AMDR.
• Social
  We believe this simple calculator can move other commonly used hospital supply chain products to also generate LCAs and thus publish a calculator for their products.
• Financial
  Reprocessed SUDs cost 30 to 50% less than virgin devices, and we are encouraging the use of more reprocessed SUDs. In 2023, hospitals saved over $450,000,000 by using reprocessed devices in place of their virgin counterparts.

Key learning point: This free calculator is of value to every hospital that is making an effort to reduce its carbon footprint. It's also useful for policy makers to realize the benefits of encouraging more reuse. Having a great researcher like Dr. Cassie Thiel helping us was absolutely critical for our success.