Dialysis and the environment: Seeking a more sustainable future

Agar, John

doi:10.1111/aor.13585

Cited by 5 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Water, power consumption and plastic wastage generated with RRT are associated with a significant carbon foot print. HD uses roughly 500 l of water per treatment [37]. With patients averaging three treatments per week for a total of 156 treatments/year, dialysis uses 80 000 l of water/patient/ year [37].…”

Section: Green(er) Dialysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change and its implications for kidney health

Goldfarb,

Patel

2024

Current Opinion in Urology

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Purpose of review Extremes of weather as a result of climate change are affecting social, economic and health systems. Kidney health is being threatened by global warming while treatment of kidney disease is contributing to increasing resource utilization and leaving a substantial carbon footprint. Improved physician awareness and patient education are needed to mitigate the risk. Recent findings Rising temperatures are changing kidney disease patterns, with increasing prevalence of acute kidney injury, chronic kidney disease and kidney stones. These issues disproportionately affect people suffering from social inequality and limited access to resources. Summary In this article, we review the effects of climate change on kidney stones, and acute and chronic kidney injury. Finally, we discuss the impact of renal replacement therapies on the environment and proposed ways to mitigate it.

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Section: Green(er) Dialysismentioning

confidence: 99%

Climate change and its implications for kidney health

Goldfarb,

Patel

2024

Current Opinion in Urology

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“…Nephrology groups on a global scale have notably released official declarations recognising the pivotal significance of confronting the climate repercussions associated with dialysis. Concurrently, these associations have embarked on the formulation of gradual, incremental guidelines aimed at fostering sustainable paradigms within the domain of dialytic practices [15 ▪ ,18,26,29–32]. We discuss these below, employing a framework centred around the principles of reduction, reuse, and recycling.…”

Section: Sustainability Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Recycle. Repurposing of plastic waste for use in neighbouring industries like incorporation into concrete can reduce the amount of waste ending up in landfills [6,26]. Appropriate waste classification to avoid contamination of recyclables and other nonhazardous waste will reduce financial and energy costs involved in hazardous waste management without significantly impacting on staff or patient time [15 ▪ ,30,37 ▪ ].…”

Section: Sustainability Strategiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

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The climate impact of dialysis

Phua,

Shen

2023

Current Opinion in Nephrology &Amp; Hypertension

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Purpose of review A reciprocal relationship currently exists between climate change and healthcare, mutually influencing each other. There have been significant planetary shifts in recent decades, marked by escalating temperatures, frequent natural calamities, a disturbing surge in climate-linked fatalities, and a heightened incidence of kidney disease diagnoses. Recent findings Dialysis, a life-preserving treatment for kidney failure, extends to 2–3 million patients globally, mainly through in-centre haemodialysis. This treatment exerts an environmental toll, contributing to the healthcare sector's carbon footprint through water usage, energy consumption, waste generation, and current procurement practices. Diligent scrutiny and data collection of these facets have spurred sustainability initiatives, beginning at the local level with water, energy, and waste management. Still, this represents just the tip of the iceberg, with a pressing need for more comprehensive and habitual sustainable dialysis practices. Summary This review examines the carbon footprint from dialysis, probes its ecological ramifications, and underscores potential solutions to lessen its climate impact.

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“…For the fledgling few with an eye to the role that nephrology can and must play in global climate and resource management [1,2], the paper by Chang et al [3] in this issue offers another small step forward in this long-ignored space. It is a welcome addition to the limited range of other papers written about the opportunities that exist for resource conservation in dialysis practice [4][5][6], gainful recycling and/or re-use of dialysis's discard products [5,7], and the formulation of national guidelines for environmental sustainability in nephrology [8].…”

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confidence: 99%