Current Practices and Expectations on the Environmental Impact of Interventional Cardiology: The GREEN-CCF Study

While interventional cardiology has a significant environmental footprint, the level of engagement of professionals in mitigating their ecological impact remains unexplored. The GREEN-CCF (Global Review of Environmental Expectations in Cardiac Catheterization in France) study aimed to assess current practices, perceptions, and expectations of interventional cardiology professionals in France about their environmental impact.

An online survey was developed and distributed to health care professionals involved in cardiology across France. The target population included senior cardiologists, cardiologists in training, nurses, medical imaging technicians, and research staff. The questionnaire explored participants' knowledge and motivation on environmental issues, current waste management practices in catheterization laboratories, and perceived barriers and potential solutions to reducing their professional environmental footprint.

Among 859 participants who submitted fully completed responses, 367 (43%) were involved in interventional cardiology. Despite a high level of motivation on the environmental issues, the participants reported low levels of knowledge and perceived motivation of their centers. More than 70% of participants reported discarding materials used during procedures, including packaging, plastics, and specific materials. The most frequently cited barrier to reduce the environmental impact of interventional cardiology practices was the difficulty in changing professional behaviors (47%). The most frequently proposed actions to reduce the environmental impact of interventional cardiology were improving the durability of materials (42%), implementing standardized recommendations (33%), reducing product packaging (48%), and adopting incentives or regulatory requirements (34%).

These findings reinforce the need of addressing environmental sustainability in interventional cardiology. While professionals are motivated and aware of the challenges, structural and institutional changes are needed to support future interventions.