New guide: How pharmacies protect the environment
The healthcare sector also contributes to environmental pollution. / © Adobe Stock/lev dolgachov
The ABDA has participated in the Fraunhofer project »Ecological Sustainability in Outpatient Healthcare (ÖNaG)" in the creation of the guideline "Ecological Sustainability in Pharmacies" . The guideline contains recommendations and practical checklists to help integrate ecologically sustainable practices into everyday work. In addition to the 49-page guideline for Similar documents were also created for pharmacies , outpatient care, medical, dental and therapeutic practices, and midwives.
The introduction to the guide emphasizes that the healthcare sector is responsible for approximately 5 percent of Germany's total CO2 emissions. Thus, local pharmacies could also contribute to reducing greenhouse gas emissions. For example, they can consider the environmental compatibility and recyclability of materials when purchasing products or optimize their lighting.
At the same time, the authors acknowledge that many problems cannot be solved at the individual pharmacy level. Therefore, the guide also contains overarching recommendations for policymakers, manufacturers, and self-governing organizations.
The measures proposed in the guidelines are very comprehensive and cover areas such as reducing energy consumption, purchasing refurbished equipment, air conditioning, and IT equipment. The proposals also affect the provision of medications. For example, patients should receive information on proper medication storage to avoid unnecessary substitute prescriptions.
Not all of the proposed measures are easy and quick to implement. The authors have therefore compiled ten immediate measures that can reduce a pharmacy's ecological footprint.
With its Guidelines on Ecological Sustainability in Pharmacies, the ABDA (German Pharmacists' Association) supports the demands of Motion L 2, which was adopted by the Annual General Meeting at the 2022 German Pharmacists' Day. It states: "Pharmacists, as part of the healthcare system, are committed to making work in pharmacies climate-friendly."
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