U.S. healthcare is extremely carbon-intensive, accounting for 8.5% of the domestic emissions. Pharmaceutical waste contributes significantly to the health system’s carbon footprint, which in turn exacerbates climate change and its detrimental impact on human health. A 2024 report generated using the University of California Health System network’s inventory found that pharmaceutical products, such as pills, powders, and solutions, contribute to over 50% of the emissions from purchased goods and services and over 35.4% of the total Scope 3 indirect emissions for UC Health.
This signifies that the production, transport, and disposal of these medications are highly resource—and emissions—intensive, and any medication waste outside of what is clinically warranted generates a significant and unnecessary environmental burden.
UCSF Pharmacy Department is taking steps to advance sustainability while maintaining the highest standards of patient care. Through smarter inventory management, innovative dose rounding practices, and eco-friendly packaging solutions, we have reduced waste, costs, and environmental impact.
Smarter Inventory for Improved Utilization
By leveraging a multi-site inventory management system, UCSF Pharmacy now has real-time visibility into medication stock across all locations. This system ensures medications are efficiently redistributed, and that products approaching expiration are used first, minimizing waste. Scheduled monitoring also enables the department to adjust stock levels according to patient needs, thereby improving both resource allocation and cost efficiency.
Dose Rounding for Waste Reduction
Pharmacists at UCSF have the authority to round prescribed doses, when clinically appropriate, to the nearest package size. This initiative is especially impactful for high-cost or short-stability medications such as chemotherapy and biologics. By aligning doses with available vial sizes, the program has not only reduced drug waste and improved efficiency but also saved UCSF more than $5.5 million in Fiscal Year (FY) 2024—all while maintaining patient safety and therapeutic outcomes.
The pharmacy transitioned from single-use Styrofoam coolers to coolers made from more environmentally friendly materials.
Greener Coolers for Specialty Medications
Pharmacy also tackled one of the biggest contributors to healthcare packaging waste: Styrofoam coolers.
Between September 2022 and August 2023, UCSF Specialty Pharmacy shipped around 12,000 refrigerated medications in single-use Styrofoam containers, a material that takes centuries to decompose. In response, the team transitioned to biodegradable, recyclable, reusable, and more compact coolers.
This switch cut UCSF’s carbon footprint by 89.5 metric tons of carbon dioxide, increased storage space by 50%, and saved approximately $48,000 annually, according to UCSF Pharmacy Director, Hyesoo Chae.
Together, these initiatives highlight the important role of pharmacy in UCSF’s broader sustainability mission, proving that environmental responsibility and patient care go hand in hand.
We look forward to a deeper partnership between the Office of Sustainability and UCSF Pharmacy in the future to advance healthcare sustainability system-wide.