Dialysis waste adding to climate change

The Canadian Society of Nephrology is calling for environmentally sustainable kidney care to reduce the large amounts of wastewater, energy and single-use plastics involved in dialysis. Francis Silva undergoes dialysis treatment at St. Paul's Hospital in Vancouver, B.C., Tuesday, May 7, 2024.

A nearby room is stocked with boxes of more supplies including plastic saline bags — at least two per patient for each dialysis session. "Downstairs, there are huge tanks, three of them, that provide highly purified water, lots of it," said Aparicio.Dr. Caroline Stigant, a nephrologist at Royal Jubilee Hospital in Victoria and a leading advocate for sustainable kidney care, said each hemodialysis treatment uses up to 500 litres of water and large amounts of energy.

The Canadian Society of Nephrology has a planning committee to find ways to reduce waste. One goal is to develop a carbon footprint calculator to collect data on the environmental impact of kidney care. She said it's crucial to promote healthy living to prevent conditions including high blood pressure and diabetes, which are most commonly associated with kidney diseases. Early diagnosis is also important because by the time symptoms develop, a patient has likely lost 80 per cent of their kidney function, added Stigant, medical lead for planetary health at BC Renal, the agency responsible for kidney care in British Columbia.

"They find the waste embarrassing, they find it very costly to deal with. And that's something that the system hasn't, to date, reimbursed."

Source: Energy Industry News (energyindustrynews.net)

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