Environmental sustainability evidence in critical care medicine: a scoping review
Authors' conclusion
In this scoping review, we found a rapidly expanding yet fragmented body of evidence on ICU environmental sustainability.
Study context
- Population
- Studies on environmental sustainability and carbon footprint of intensive care unit (ICUs), published before October 2024studies included
- Participants
- 99 studies
- Outcome
- Literature on ICU environmental sustainability: articles by domain and principal findings
Methodological detailssystematic search of four databases
- Systematic search of four databases
Main finding
As reported in the abstract
- Articles meeting eligibility criteria
- 99
- Waste management articles
- 31
- Carbon footprint articles
- 20
- Sustainable medication practices articles
- 9
- Energy delivery/consumption articles
- 4
- Other articles
- 39
- Daily material waste in the ICU, kg per patient per day (range)
- 4.9 to 15.2
- Carbon-footprint studies calculating ICU carbon footprint (life-cycle assessment or material flow analysis)
- 3
- Studies quantifying carbon emission reductions with prospective or theoretical stewardship interventions
- 11
Original publication
Environmental sustainability evidence in critical care medicine: a scoping review. Can J Anaesth. Published 23 July 2026. doi:10.
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