Carbon footprint studies on dialysis therapy and related issues

Abstract

Dialysis therapy is one of the most resource‒consuming medical procedures, requiring large amounts of water and electricity, and creating much waste； consequently, discussions on environmentally conscious Green Dialysis are spreading worldwide. As of November 2024, 11 studies on the carbon footprint (CF), the amount of greenhouse gases emitted in terms of CO₂, have been reported from 8 countries, including the UK, Australia, and Japan. The calculated annual CF per patient ranged from 3.3 to 10.3 tons CO₂eq for hemodialysis and 1.4 to 4.5 tons CO₂eq for peritoneal dialysis. There are differences in CF assessment methods among studies, and a basic database of CF for drugs and medical equipment has yet to be developed. To promote organized efforts to reduce CF, it is desirable to raise environmental awareness regarding dialysis therapy in Japan through academic activities as well as workplace and medical education.