Medical imaging education at BMUS highlights the need for environmental consciousness

Canon Medical UK raises the profile of carbon neutral imaging equipment

Delegates at this year’s annual scientific meeting of the British Medical Ultrasound Society (BMUS) in Harrogate learned more about carbon neutral diagnostic imaging systems and how equipment with environmental credentials help to make significant contributions to the health of the earth and fighting climate change. This is at the same time as also meeting the needs of patient care through high quality imaging.

Canon Medical provided an education session delivered by CO2balance, a carbon neutrality specialist, to detail how every imaging system inside a health establishment has a carbon footprint. This is the amount of greenhouse gas, primarily carbon dioxide (CO2), it releases into the world’s atmosphere calculated from the energy and fuel emissions during manufacture, packaging and delivery of the system plus the lifetime running of the equipment once inside a hospital or clinic.

“Many NHS Trusts and independent healthcare organisations are focusing on the sustainability aspects of their operations and looking to drive down their own carbon footprints to make a difference to the health of the planet. Not only can we meet the demand for high-standard clinical imaging for patient diagnosis and treatment, but we can also prove that our systems are not harming the health of the planet,” states Rosie Beattie, Ultrasound Regional Manager at Canon Medical Systems UK. “Being carbon neutral helps to address the issues of climate change, particularly when it comes to the next generation and their future. It is vital to continue this work for the planet and for the health of everyone today and beyond. Whilst our research and development teams focus on the innovations required to reduce the energy usage of our medical imaging system in the near future, we are acting now with our carbon off-set scheme.”

Paul Chiplen, Director at CO2balance states, “It was great to be at BMUS 2019 with Canon Medical. There was great enthusiasm from delegates about how the medical imaging community can play its part in slowing the effects of climate change by reducing CO2 in the earth’s atmosphere. There is real recognition that if we don’t all come together, at home and at work, in the quest to improve the health of the world, there will be greater medical issues or chronic illnesses facing people in all nations in the future. This will be from higher temperatures, flooding and other extreme weather events.”

The total CO2 footprint figure calculated by the Canon Medical Carbon Zero scheme is verified by Gold Standard for Global Goals developed by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) or an approved auditor from the United Nations’ Division for Sustainable Development Goals. CO2balance also explained to BMUS delegates how Canon Medical’s Carbon Zero offset scheme works and how it helps fragile communities in East Africa by improving their day-to-day lives and eliminating CO2 from wood fires and stoves used to cook or to sterilise water.

Support Dogs, the national charity that provides life changing assistance dogs to families, was also in attendance on the Canon Medical stand. A charitable collection from BMUS delegates raised over £650 that has been gratefully received.

Photo caption: Paul Chiplen, Director at CO2balance provided an education session on the Canon Medical stand at BMUS 2019 explaining carbon neutral diagnostic imaging systems and how equipment with environmental credentials help to make significant contributions to the health of the earth and fighting climate change.