Perioperative planetary health resource page
‘Planetary health’ is a concept that underscores the connection between human health and the health of our planet, highlighting how environmental degradation directly affects public health outcomes. The Australian health care system contributes to seven per cent of national carbon emissions, with an estimated 20 per cent of this attributed to the perioperative environment. Issues such as increased single-use item waste, high energy consumption, water and air filtration and conditioning requirements, and unique anaesthetic gas pollution considerations illustrate the need for sustainable practices in the operating room.
By tackling these challenges, the perioperative setting can contribute to broader planetary health efforts. Promoting environmentally sustainable practices – such as minimising surgical waste, improving energy efficiency and adopting green procurement policies – allows perioperative teams to play a crucial role in improving the health of the planet while maintaining high-quality patient care. This growing awareness encourages health care professionals to consider not only the immediate health outcomes for their patients but also the long-term sustainability of the environment in which they work.
ACORN Position statement: Planetary health
Combination webinar: (1) Greening the Operating Room: Strategies for sustainable practices in healthcare, and (2) The Future is in Our Hands: Committing to sustainability for people and planet
Presented by (1) Sarah Ripley, and (2) Toby Cobbledick
May 2025
Running time: 35 mins
ACORN Planetary health position statement
Presented by Edwina Eaton
January 2025
Running time: 25 mins
Planetary Health Collaborative for Nurses & Midwives
https://planetaryhealthcare.com.au/
Planetary Health Alliance
https://planetaryhealthalliance.org/
Climate Action Nurses
https://www.climateactionnurses.org/
Greening the OR
https://practicegreenhealth.org/topics/greening-operating-room/greening-or
Clinical and related waste guidance
https://www.vicniss.org.au/media/2129/clinical-waste-guidelines-supplement-for-healthcare-staff.pdf
Department of Health Victoria, Sustainability waste posters
https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/waste
Baxter PVC recycling poster
Carbon footprint calculators for healthcare organisations
https://ihf-fih.org/news-insights/carbon-footprinting-tools-for-healthcare-organizations/
Lids4Kids Australia
Blue wrap project runway
https://www.partnersforworldhealth.org/blue-wrap-project-runway
Wrap Back
https://www.wrapback.com.au/why-recycle-sterilisation-wrap/
RACS Global Health (donations)
Global green and healthy hospitals (various initiatives)
Carbon Footprint of Laparoscopic Appendicectomy: A Prospective Observational Study at a Tertiary Care NHS Trust Hospital
Khalil GM, Khan N, Kamalathasan J, Qasim M, Ahmed R, Sajid MS, Khalil G. Carbon Footprint of Laparoscopic Appendicectomy: A Prospective Observational Study at a Tertiary Care NHS Trust Hospital. Cureus. 2025 May 27;17(5). DOI: 10.7759/cureus.84870
Global surgery and climate change: how global surgery can prioritise both the health of the planet and its people
Chen S, Zolo Y, Ngulube L, Isiagi M, Maswime S. Global surgery and climate change: how global surgery can prioritise both the health of the planet and its people. BMC surgery. 2025 Jan 11;25(1):21.
Implementation approaches to improve environmental sustainability in operating theatres: a systematic review.
Davies JF, Ikin B, Francis JJ, McGain F. Implementation approaches to improve environmental sustainability in operating theatres: a systematic review. British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2023 Jun 20.
How we can reduce the environmental impact of our operating theatres: a narrative review.
Roscioli R, Wyllie T, Neophytou K, Dent L, Lowen D, Tan D, Dunne B, Hodgson R. How we can reduce the environmental impact of our operating theatres: a narrative review. ANZ journal of surgery. 2024 Jun;94(6):1000-10.
