Sustainable Use of Single Use Endoscopes

Sustainability in healthcare encompasses more than CO₂ emissions. This project compares reusable and disposable endoscopes in terms of clinical quality, cost-effectiveness, resource use, and carbon footprint to determine the most sustainable option.

Lise Karup Pedersen Projektleder

In Denmark, healthcare is responsible for 6% of the country’s total CO₂ emissions. In Region Zealand alone, medical equipment contributes 19% of CO₂ emissions, while healthcare services contribute 9%. Despite this, sustainability has not been prioritized sufficiently in hospitals, which face resource constraints and focus mainly on patient care and daily operations. Hospitals’ efforts toward a sustainable healthcare system must be data-driven and targeted to maximize impact. Sustainability in healthcare involves not only reducing CO₂ but also optimizing personnel and financial resources without compromising care quality and patient safety. We must aim to be sustainable across all areas, responsibly reducing our climate footprint.

Healthcare and hospitals are major consumers of disposable equipment, which places pressure on our climate and does not support circular consumption.
However, there are several reasons for using disposable equipment in healthcare, particularly its sterility. Disposable equipment avoids the need for cleaning processes that require large amounts of water and chemical detergents, which also harm the environment. Additionally, it reduces the risk of infection with multi-resistant bacteria, which can pose serious risks for patients and incur high costs for the healthcare system. The Department of Surgery at Zealand University Hospital has tested disposable endoscopes for performing endoscopic procedures (scopic examinations and surgeries). However, reusable endoscopes of various types are typically standard for these purposes. Endoscopies are conducted across multiple hospital departments where internal body cavities, such as the mouth, intestines, ear, lungs, and urinary tract, require examination. This includes, for example, procedures related to diagnosing colorectal cancer.

The question is whether it is overall more sustainable to use disposable or reusable endoscopes?

To investigate this, the project will compare the two types of endoscopes across four parameters

A life cycle assessment will be conducted to evaluate the carbon footprint before, during, and after endoscopies, using either disposable or reusable endoscopes. The assessment will provide an overview of the overall environmental and climate impact caused by the endoscopies.

*Carbon footprint = the total amount of greenhouse gases, primarily CO2, emitted directly or indirectly as a result of human activities.

Patient safety always takes precedence. Therefore, the two types of endoscopes are compared across a large number of performed endoscopies in both Sweden and Denmark. Data is collected from the endoscopies with a focus on quality and patient safety to establish and document the clinical quality of both disposable and reusable endoscopes.

The project will also highlight the use of resources—both financial and human—to contribute to the appropriate utilization of the limited resources available in healthcare. Additionally, it will identify areas where resources can be reduced, benefiting both patients and healthcare personnel.

By observing workflows and procedures in the execution of endoscopies and the handling of endoscopes, as well as conducting interviews with healthcare personnel, the project will highlight the opportunities and barriers in the use of both single-use and reusable endoscopes from a user perspective.

Working in the project
Lise Karup Pedersen Project management
Catherina Wilckens Health economics
Iryna Dzyba Controller
Marie Bruun Nielsen Qualitative research
Kristin Cæcilie Kloster Communication
Support program Interreg Öresund-Kattegat-Skagerrak
Project duration 01.02.2024 – 31.01.2027
Project budget 2.836.988 EUR

Project Partners

  • Surgical Department, Zealand University Hospital
  • The Research Unit, Zealand University Hospital
  • Circular Action Tools
  • Surgical Endoscopic Unit, Surgical Center in Umeå, University Hospital of Umeå