Carbon footprint of single-use consumables used during canine hemilaminectomies

The carbon footprint of veterinary surgery is poorly characterised, particularly the contribution of single-use consumables. This study quantified greenhouse-gas emissions from consumables used during canine hemilaminectomy using a process-based, itemised life-cycle assessment. An inventory of 92 single-use consumables was compiled for evaluation, and 10 procedures were prospectively observed at a UK veterinary teaching hospital, during which 80 of these items were used. Emissions for each product were derived from published life-cycle assessments, material-based emission factors, or component-level disassembly and calculation. The mean carbon footprint of single-use consumables was 14.0 kgCO₂e per procedure (range 12.2–15.1 kgCO₂e), approximately equivalent to 78 km driven in a petrol car. Emissions were highly skewed: 20% of items generated 79% of the total, consistent with the Pareto principle. Electrocardiogram pads were the single largest contributor (~ 18%), followed by large sterile drapes and surgical gowns. Grouped by functional area, surgical consumables accounted for 55% of emissions, anaesthesia-related items 30%, and nursing miscellaneous 15%. These findings indicate that a limited subset of products drives the majority of consumable-related emissions. As many high-impact items (e.g., monitoring electrodes, gowns, drapes) are common to both veterinary and human operating theatres, the transparent, itemised framework is directly transferable to human surgical pathways. Targeted substitution with reusable or lower-emission alternatives and optimisation of pre-packed surgical kits provides practical strategies to reduce procedure-level footprints in both veterinary and human healthcare.