Climate change is among the most critical issues facing our global community and will require engagement from all major industrial sectors to address. Healthcare is one of the top emitters in the world, contributing about 5% of global greenhouse gases (GHGs) [1]. Per capita, US healthcare emissions are substantially higher than any other country, and have grown 19% from 2007 to 2016 [2]. Almost three-quarters of healthcare emissions come from the production, transport, and disposal of medical supplies [1].

Operating rooms (ORs) are a venue for intervention as they are responsible for around one-third of the 3.4 billion pounds of waste produced by the US healthcare sector annually [2,3]. While robotic surgery has gained popularity for its minimally invasive advantages, little attention has been given to its resource consumption and environmental impact. Over recent decades, gynecologic surgery has transitioned toward minimally invasive techniques, offering clinical benefits but increasing reliance on disposable products. Single-use surgical drapes, gowns, and soft plastic packaging now account for a substantial proportion of OR waste, with prior studies estimating these materials can represent up to 50% of surgical waste by weight [4]. Prior research specific to hysterectomy has shown that robotic approaches produce an average of 30% more municipal solid waste (MSW) than laparoscopic or open surgery, driven largely by increased use of plastic and single-use devices (SUDs), resulting in higher GHG emissions [5,6].

Continued research is essential to identify opportunities to reduce the environmental impact of robotic surgical care. Increasingly, life cycle assessment (LCA) is used to understand the healthcare sector’s contribution to global emissions. LCA considers the required energy and materials for a product’s production, use, and disposal, helping quantify its overall environmental impact [7].

Here, we perform detailed waste audits of robotic gynecologic surgeries at a single institution and characterize the environmental impact using LCA to identify potential opportunities to reduce emissions.