Climate Change Awareness in Decontamination
Climate Change is a global crisis driven by human activities, primarily the emission of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide and methane. Over the last century, the Earth’s average temperature has increased significantly, with the last three decades being progressively warmer. This warming has led to various consequences, including the melting of polar ice, rising sea levels, and more frequent extreme weather events like heat waves, heavy rainfall, and droughts.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) plays a pivotal role in assessing and communicating the science behind climate change, providing policymakers with essential information to address the crisis. To mitigate the severe impacts of climate change, urgent global action is required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, aiming for net-zero emissions by the mid-21st century.
Limiting global warming is essential, as even fractions of a degree can significantly affect the severity and irreversibility of climate change impacts. Adaptation and mitigation measures taken in this decade can yield multiple benefits, from improved air quality to enhanced food security and biodiversity conservation.
What is the UK’s Stance on Climate Change?
The United Kingdom’s commitment to achieving net-zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, in line with the Paris Climate Agreement, is a significant step towards addressing climate change. However, achieving this target will require substantial efforts, including decarbonizing various sectors, transitioning to clean energy sources, and ensuring a just transition for affected workers.
The UK’s historical contributions to carbon emissions make it vital for the country to lead by example in international efforts to combat climate change, but challenges remain, including the need to address emissions generated by the finance industry and fulfil commitments to climate finance for poorer nations.
How Decontamination is Linked With Climate Change?
Decontamination in healthcare settings is essential not only for infection control but also for the environment. While it is essential for safety and health, is connected to climate change due to its energy-intensive processes and potential chemical waste. It demands substantial energy use, contributing to greenhouse gas emissions, and the use of chemicals can lead to pollution if not managed properly. Climate change can also worsen contamination issues, necessitating more decontamination efforts after extreme weather events. Hence, making decontamination methods more sustainable and eco-friendly is vital in the fight against climate change.
Where Decontamination is Needed in HealthCare Settings?
Decontamination is needed for all types of medical devices that are used in healthcare settings, including surgical instruments, endoscopes, dental instruments, and other reusable equipment. These devices must be properly cleaned, disinfected, or sterilized to prevent the spread of infections. In addition, surfaces, floors, and other areas in healthcare settings must be regularly cleaned and disinfected to prevent the spread of infections.
How We Can Make Our Hospital Settings Eco-Friendly?
The seven elements of a climate-friendly hospital are a set of strategies that hospitals can use to reduce their environmental impact and become more sustainable by WHO.
Energy Efficiency
This element involves reducing hospital energy consumption and costs through efficiency and conservation measures. Hospitals can achieve this by implementing energy-efficient lighting, heating, and cooling systems, as well as by using energy-efficient equipment and appliances.
Green Building Design
This element involves building hospitals that are responsive to local climate conditions and optimized for reduced energy and resource demands. Hospitals can achieve this by using sustainable building materials, designing buildings to maximize natural light and ventilation, and incorporating green roofs and walls.
Alternative Energy Generation
This element involves producing and/or consuming clean, renewable energy onsite to ensure reliable and resilient operation. Hospitals can achieve this by installing solar panels, wind turbines, or other renewable energy systems.
Transportation
This element involves using alternative fuels for hospital vehicle fleets, encouraging walking and cycling to the facility, promoting staff, patient, and community use of public transport, and siting healthcare buildings to minimize the need for staff and patient transportation.
Food Management
This element involves providing sustainably grown local food for staff and patients. Hospitals can achieve this by sourcing food from local farmers, using organic and sustainable farming practices, and reducing food waste.
Waste Management
This element involves reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting waste, as well as employing alternatives to waste incineration. Hospitals can achieve this by implementing recycling programs, reducing the use of disposable products, and composting food and yard waste.
Water Conservation
This element involves conserving water and avoiding bottled water when safe alternatives exist. Hospitals can achieve this by implementing water-efficient fixtures, using recycled water for irrigation, and reducing water waste.
Addressing climate change is a global imperative, and healthcare settings, including the UK’s commitment to net-zero emissions, play an important role. Decontamination processes must evolve to be more eco-friendly, while hospitals can embrace sustainable practices outlined in the seven elements of a climate-friendly hospital. By doing so, we can mitigate the healthcare sector’s impact on the environment, contributing to a healthier planet for future generations.
Reference
- Healthy hospitals, healthy planet, healthy people. (n.d.). https://www.who.int/publications/m/item/healthy-hospitals-healthy-planet-healthy-people
- Greenpeace UK. (2023, September 6). What is the UK doing about climate change? | Greenpeace UK. https://www.greenpeace.org.uk/challenges/climate-change/what-is-the-uk-doing-about-climate-change/
- Climate change explained. (2023, June 20). GOV.UK. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/climate-change-explained
- Decontamination of Medical Devices-IPC by Camden and Islington (NHS Trust)
