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. 2023 Jan;72(1):12-26.
doi: 10.1136/gutjnl-2022-328460. Epub 2022 Oct 13.

Green endoscopy: British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), Joint Accreditation Group (JAG) and Centre for Sustainable Health (CSH) joint consensus on practical measures for environmental sustainability in endoscopy

Shaji Sebastian  1   2 , Anjan Dhar  3   4 , Robin Baddeley  5   6 , Leigh Donnelly  7 , Rosemary Haddock  8 , Ramesh Arasaradnam  9   10 , Archibald Coulter  11 , Benjamin Robert Disney  10 , Helen Griffiths  12 , Christopher Healey  13 , Rosie Hillson  14 , Ingeborg Steinbach  14 , Sarah Marshall  15   16 , Arun Rajendran  17 , Andrew Rochford  18 , Siwan Thomas-Gibson  6 , Sandeep Siddhi  19 , William Stableforth  20 , Emma Wesley  21 , Bernard Brett  22 , Allan John Morris  23 , Andrew Douds  24 , Mark Giles Coleman  16   25 , Andrew M Veitch  26 , Bu'Hussain Hayee  27
Affiliations

Green endoscopy: British Society of Gastroenterology (BSG), Joint Accreditation Group (JAG) and Centre for Sustainable Health (CSH) joint consensus on practical measures for environmental sustainability in endoscopy

Shaji Sebastian et al. Gut. 2023 Jan.

Abstract

GI endoscopy is highly resource-intensive with a significant contribution to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and waste generation. Sustainable endoscopy in the context of climate change is now the focus of mainstream discussions between endoscopy providers, units and professional societies. In addition to broader global challenges, there are some specific measures relevant to endoscopy units and their practices, which could significantly reduce environmental impact. Awareness of these issues and guidance on practical interventions to mitigate the carbon footprint of GI endoscopy are lacking. In this consensus, we discuss practical measures to reduce the impact of endoscopy on the environment applicable to endoscopy units and practitioners. Adoption of these measures will facilitate and promote new practices and the evolution of a more sustainable specialty.

Keywords: endoscopic procedures; endoscopy.

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Conflict of interest statement

Competing interests: SS has received speaker honoraria from Pentax Medical. ST-G has received speaker honoraria from Olympus. ARajendran has received sponsored visit and conference fees from Pentax. BB is Director of an insourcing endoscopy company.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Waste segregation in endoscopy. NG, naso gastric; PEG, percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Practical tips for a green endoscopy unit. HVAC, heating, ventilation and air conditioning.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Research themes. PPE, personal protective equipment.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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