ACB webinar in partnership with Abbott: Achieving Net Zero - part 2

The ACB partnered with Abbott to deliver an interactive webinar focussing on achieving Net Zero.

This session was facilitated by Lisa Harrison, Marketing Director, Core Diagnostics at Abbott.

We heard insights from the following panel of speakers:

Joanne Hall - Sustainability and green champion in blood sciences, Newcastle upon Tyne NHS Foundation Trust
Sheri Scott - IBMS sustainability lead and council member, EFLM Green Taskforce core member, Nottingham Trent University
Rob Shorten - ACB Green Champion, Lancashire Teaching Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Janet Smith - Head of Sustainability for Royal Wolverhampton NHS Hospitals

Learning outcomes

Understand the relationship between the climate emergency and public health
Understand sustainability and the concepts of Sustainability in relation to Healthcare Science, the clinical laboratory and the patient pathway
Gain knowledge of case examples of embedding sustainability into laboratory practice

NHS targets

The NHS Carbon Footprint: for the emissions we control directly (Scope 1 & 2), Net Zero by 2040
The NHS Carbon Footprint Plus: for the emissions we can influence (Scope 3), Net Zero by 2045

Speaker insights

Some of the main contributors to labs' carbon footprint are water, gas, energy consumption, waste, consumables and procurement practices.
Inappropriate testing also contributes toward the carbon footprint by creating unnecessary waste and logistics (such as transportation).
Increases in extreme weather events are raising risks to health, including heat-related deaths, malnutrition from draughts, increased disease from low water quality and seasonal variation in disease susceptibility.
The NHS is responsible for 5% of the total carbon emissions in the UK.
Pathology underpins the whole of healthcare by touching most patient journeys.
At the Royal Wolverhampton NHS Trust, over 70% of the carbon footprint is in Scope 3 (all indirect emissions excluding energy: procurement, waste, catering, business travel and others). Its total footprint is currently 65,000 tonnes CO2.
Carbon reduction initiatives should be embedded in the Trust's processes for maximum impact. This includes service delivery, governance, business decisions and investments.

How to get started - quick wins

Create a culture where people are not afraid to suggest new ideas to reduce carbon footprint. For example, install a suggestions board in the lab.
Turn off lights and computer monitors, and shut down analysers when not in use.
Make sure your fridges and freezers are filled up and set to the right temperature. Discard samples that are not needed to increase available space.
Reduce frequency of lab deliveries (e.g. from daily to twice-weekly).
Increase the use of digital tools to minimise printing.
Limit email use and use online file storage instead of sending attachments. Emails can contribute between 3-17g of carbon, or up to 50g when including attachments.
Use a sustainability certification programme like My Green Lab, or the upcoming LEAF or EFLM Green Lab, to get specialized help and frameworks toward achieving Net Zero.

Recommended resources and further reading