University Hospital Sussex study shows different inhalers could drop carbon levels by 90%
The reduction in carbon levels would be the equivalent of driving round the world three times in a petrol car
A new study at University Hospitals Sussex NHS Foundation Trust has found that if patients on one respiratory ward changed to a different type of inhalers, then their collective carbon footprint could drop by around 90% in a year.
The small inhalers are used by people with asthma and other respiratory conditions across the NHS and contribute around 3-4% of the NHS carbon footprint.
Certain inhalers contain a potent greenhouse gas as a propellant, to administer the medicine into the patient’s lungs. These types of inhalers are known as MDIs, or metered dose inhalers.
While the gas itself is not harmful to inhaler users, the emissions from exhalation and in disposal of the devices, has a powerful carbon footprint effect.
There are, however, alternatives to MDIs, such as DPIs, which are dry powder inhalers.
As part of the NHS' commitments to delivering the world's first Net Zero Carbon health service, plans are in place to move to lower carbon inhalers like dry powder inhalers.
Dr Bethan Davies, medicine chief registrar worked with Dr James Myerson, Respiratory Consultant at UHSussex, and said: “All NHS trusts have to reduce their carbon footprint under the Greener NHS programme and we wanted to see how we could make a difference with the patients we see – how we could reduce our medicinal carbon footprint.
“Over a year we measured the volume of inhalers prescribed to 169 patients on discharge from Pyecombe respiratory ward at the Princess Royal Hospital in Hayward’s Heath.
“We found 63% were MDIs; if these were switched to DPIs, the carbon footprint of inhaler use in this group of patients could be reduced from nearly 24,000kg of CO2e to less than 3,000kg over a year. That’s about a 90% reduction. That’s a massive amount.
“Incredibly, that’s the equivalent of driving around the world three times, which vividly demonstrates how small changes really can make a huge difference.”