Page 282 - GHES-3-3

Global Health Economics and
Sustainability
Carbon footprint of smartphones in healthcare

driven by the daily use of disposable plastic gloves, needles, f (X) = f BOM ∑ N x + fuzzy function) + f (X)
(
transportation
i
i
and containers for biological samples and the energy + f total (X) + f (Carbon, time) − f (depreciation
distribution
consumption of devices, such as robotic surgical systems, rate, X) usage recycling (I)
X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed
tomography scans. The scientific community has concluded Where
that the current smartphone usage patterns and digital • f = carbon footprint
healthcare device usage result in significant environmental • BOM = bill of materials data of 5G smartphone
challenges to global sustainability (Ripple et al., 2017). • X = specific product model
An example of an environmental challenge is the carbon • x = parts
footprint, which is the total greenhouse gas (GHG)
emissions caused by a product, people, or organization The formula showcases the total emissions through
(Słoma, 2013). The negative impacts are the production the phases, subtracted by the recycling phase (Tian et al.,
of GHG emissions, specifically CO and methane, all 2022). In our study, the selected smartphone devices were
2
associated with the manufacturing, use, and disposal of all 5G. Looking at the entire lifecycle of 5G smartphones
electronic healthcare devices (IPCC, 2021; 2022). shows that they affect the environment in many ways, not
just when doctors use them. By measuring these impacts
To align healthcare technology usage with the Paris at each stage, we provide hospitals and the general public
Climate Agreement’s goal of limiting global temperature with clear information to support more sustainable
increase to 1.5°C, a comprehensive examination of decision-making.
energy consumption throughout the digital healthcare
ecosystem is essential (European Commission, 2015; Pei, The energy demands of continuously operating
2015; The White House, 2015). This type of examination facilities, combined with the necessity for sterile single-
should be accompanied by strategic investments in use products, create an environmental burden that has
green technology development and implementation of only recently begun to attract the attention of healthcare
regulatory frameworks that promote energy efficiency administrators and policymakers. In addition, certain
and carbon reduction in medical device life cycles anesthetic gases contribute to atmospheric pollution
(Scheffran et al., 2020). Without such interventions, the (Yasny & White, 2012). Sevoflurane, desflurane, and
rapidly growing adoption of smartphones and new digital isoflurane are commonly used in surgical procedures
technologies, such as large language models (LLMs) in worldwide (Varughese & Ahmed, 2021). These gases have
healthcare settings, will continue to contribute negatively atmospheric lifetimes and global warming potentials
to the sector’s environmental footprint. that are significantly higher than CO . Their routine
2
use in operating rooms represents a direct pathway for
LLMs are only one part of a bigger environmental healthcare services to impact climate change, despite being
problem in healthcare. Medical systems do not only use invisible to most healthcare providers and patients. The
energy in hospitals and clinics, but they also create carbon environmental persistence of these compounds magnifies
emissions through the production, transportation, and their impact beyond their immediate utility in clinical
disposal of medical equipment and supplies. settings. Although these anesthetic gases pose only about
The above supply chain connects directly to how we 0.1% of GHG emissions, their atmospheric lifetimes can be
measure the carbon footprints of 5G smartphones in extensive – up to 114 years in the atmosphere in the case of
healthcare. The production phase contributes significantly nitrous oxide (Varughese & Ahmed, 2021).
to the overall emissions from parts, such as chips, screens, Another less obvious contributor to GHG emissions is
and batteries. Transportation and distribution phases the use of smartphones, which have become indispensable
create additional emissions to transport devices through tools for healthcare professionals. Physicians, nurses, and
global supply chains to the final user. During the usage healthcare teams use smartphones for communication,
phase, smartphones and medical equipment generate accessing medical resources, and consulting LLMs, such
emissions through daily use and disposal, which lead to as ChatGPT, Gemini, Claude.ai, and Meta AI. Integrating
ongoing consumption of energy. Finally, the recycling these devices into clinical workflows has transformed
phase helps reduce some emissions because reusing parts healthcare delivery, enabled rapid information exchange,
offsets the carbon footprint (Tian et al., 2022). and supported clinical decisions. The ubiquity of these
Equation I calculates the life cycle assessment for the devices in clinical settings reflects their utility; however, it
carbon footprints of 5G smartphones to showcase the also presents an overlooked environmental consideration
overall emission (Tian et al., 2022). (Boppana, 2024).

Volume 3 Issue 3 (2025) 274 https://doi.org/10.36922/ghes.8359