Maja Schlünsen , Mathias Dam Mønster Sørensen , Rasmus Hald Pihlsbech , Trine Graabæk , Aileen Lind , Thomas Storkholm , Thomas Øhlenschlæger , Sidsel Arnspang Pedersen , Lene Juel Kjeldsen
{"title":"Characterizing medication waste from a palliative care unit in Denmark – A descriptive study","authors":"Maja Schlünsen , Mathias Dam Mønster Sørensen , Rasmus Hald Pihlsbech , Trine Graabæk , Aileen Lind , Thomas Storkholm , Thomas Øhlenschlæger , Sidsel Arnspang Pedersen , Lene Juel Kjeldsen","doi":"10.1016/j.clwas.2025.100403","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"<div><div>Production, transport, use, and disposal of medication is associated with high levels of CO<sub>2</sub> emissions, which negatively affects environmental sustainability. Reduction of the carbon footprint can be addressed by various strategies including focus on sustainability in the procurement and supply chains of medication, substitution or reduction of medication use, and reduction in medication disposal. To reduce medication waste, insights into the types of medications and volumes disposed are required. A significant research gap regarding the prevalence, management, and implications of medication waste remains within the hospice setting. This study aimed to categorize the medication waste and calculate the corresponding carbon emissions from a hospice in Denmark. All disposed medication from March to May 2024 from HospiceSønderjylland was collected, totaling 638 items, which amounts to 42.1 kg. This corresponds to an estimated annual medication waste rate of 168 kg assuming constant disposal over the year. Of the manually counted items, 31 % were found in unopened packages. The waste was predominantly composed of medication for pain relief. The cost of the medication waste was 56,923 DKK (US$8778) for a period of three months, which corresponds to 227,691 DKK (US$35,110) per year. The cost for disposal of the medication waste was 1013 DKK (US$156) for the 42.1 kg, corresponding to 4054 DKK (US$625) per year. The carbon footprint of the disposal of medication waste was estimated at 45.2 kg CO<sub>2</sub>e, corresponding to 180.8 kg CO<sub>2</sub>e per year. This study showed a substantial economic and environmental burden from disposal of medication from one hospice in Denmark. More research is needed on the proportions of unnecessary medication waste and ways to avoid it.</div></div>","PeriodicalId":100256,"journal":{"name":"Cleaner Waste Systems","volume":"12 ","pages":"Article 100403"},"PeriodicalIF":3.9000,"publicationDate":"2025-09-02","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Cleaner Waste Systems","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2772912525002015","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"","JCRName":"","Score":null,"Total":0}
引用次数: 0
Abstract
Production, transport, use, and disposal of medication is associated with high levels of CO2 emissions, which negatively affects environmental sustainability. Reduction of the carbon footprint can be addressed by various strategies including focus on sustainability in the procurement and supply chains of medication, substitution or reduction of medication use, and reduction in medication disposal. To reduce medication waste, insights into the types of medications and volumes disposed are required. A significant research gap regarding the prevalence, management, and implications of medication waste remains within the hospice setting. This study aimed to categorize the medication waste and calculate the corresponding carbon emissions from a hospice in Denmark. All disposed medication from March to May 2024 from HospiceSønderjylland was collected, totaling 638 items, which amounts to 42.1 kg. This corresponds to an estimated annual medication waste rate of 168 kg assuming constant disposal over the year. Of the manually counted items, 31 % were found in unopened packages. The waste was predominantly composed of medication for pain relief. The cost of the medication waste was 56,923 DKK (US$8778) for a period of three months, which corresponds to 227,691 DKK (US$35,110) per year. The cost for disposal of the medication waste was 1013 DKK (US$156) for the 42.1 kg, corresponding to 4054 DKK (US$625) per year. The carbon footprint of the disposal of medication waste was estimated at 45.2 kg CO2e, corresponding to 180.8 kg CO2e per year. This study showed a substantial economic and environmental burden from disposal of medication from one hospice in Denmark. More research is needed on the proportions of unnecessary medication waste and ways to avoid it.
药物的生产、运输、使用和处置与高水平的二氧化碳排放有关,这对环境的可持续性产生负面影响。减少碳足迹可以通过各种战略来解决,包括注重药物采购和供应链的可持续性,替代或减少药物使用,以及减少药物处置。为了减少药物浪费,需要深入了解药物的类型和处置量。一个重要的研究差距关于流行,管理,和影响的药物浪费仍然在临终关怀设置。本研究旨在对丹麦一家临终关怀医院的药物废物进行分类,并计算相应的碳排放量。收集2024年3月至5月HospiceSønderjylland处置的所有药物,共计638件,总计42.1 kg。这相当于假定一年的药物处理量不变,估计每年的药物浪费率为168 公斤。在人工计数的物品中,31% %是在未打开的包裹中发现的。这些废物主要由止痛药物组成。三个月期间的药物浪费费用为56,923丹麦克朗(8778美元),相当于每年227,691丹麦克朗(35,110美元)。处置42.1 公斤药物废物的费用为1013丹麦克朗(156美元),相当于每年4054丹麦克朗(625美元)。处置药物废物的碳足迹估计为45.2 kg CO2e,相当于每年180.8 kg CO2e。这项研究显示了丹麦一家临终关怀医院处置药物带来的巨大经济和环境负担。需要对不必要的药物浪费的比例和避免方法进行更多的研究。