Associate Professor Forbes McGain, awarded ANZCA Academic Enhancement grant

Congratulations to Associate Professor Forbes McGain on receiving a $98,000 ANZCA Academic Enhancement grant for his project "The Environmental Life Cycle Inventory of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, and Perioperative Medicine".

Anesthesia, intensive care, and perioperative care are known to have high carbon footprints due to the extensive equipment they use, yet little is known about the environmental cost of most devices involved.

This project aims to create a Life Cycle Inventory (LCI)—a comprehensive database detailing the material composition, weight, and origin of hundreds of commonly used medical items. With this library, clinicians, researchers, and healthcare administrators can quickly estimate the carbon footprint of their operations and conduct more detailed analyses without starting from scratch.

The project also includes gathering engineering data, such as heating and ventilation specifications for operating rooms and ICUs, to understand energy use in these critical care environments.

The LCI will not only support the growing movement toward greener healthcare but will also enable facilities to identify cost-effective, sustainable practices, such as switching to reusable or locally sourced materials. The study aims to provide valuable insights for healthcare providers and policymakers by offering practical data that can drive change toward a more environmentally responsible healthcare system.

Find out more about the work of Associate Professor McGain and his team at the Australian Healthcare Carbon Lab...