Pharmacies

Summary  / Key takeaways

Pharmaceuticals and hospitals account for nearly half of Canada’s healthcare-related greenhouse gas emissions. Beyond carbon impact, pharmaceutical residues contaminate air, soil, and water—affecting ecosystems, contributing to antibiotic resistance, and even entering drinking water. Within hospitals, pharmacy operations generate substantial waste, particularly from single-use plastics and sterile compounding supplies. At the same time, hospital drug spending has surged, growing over 300% in two decades. This combination of environmental impact and rising costs makes sustainable change both urgent and practical. 

Hospital pharmacy teams are uniquely positioned to act. They manage complex medication systems and influence procurement, dispensing, and disposal practices. With strong engagement and a proven track record of leading institutional initiatives, pharmacy professionals can drive meaningful improvements. Their leadership can align sustainability with patient care, staff wellbeing, and organizational priorities. 

Effective transformation requires system-level action across two key areas: medication management and clinical practice. This includes optimizing procurement, reducing waste, improving inventory systems, and adopting environmentally conscious prescribing practices. Supporting policies and procedures are essential to embed sustainability into daily operations. By integrating these efforts, hospital pharmacies can lead coordinated, impactful change across healthcare systems.

Playbook: Climate Resilient, Low Carbon Sustainable Pharmacy Playbook

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Suggested Citation:

Park JY, Miller FA. Climate Resilient, Low Carbon Sustainable Pharmacy. Version 1.0. [Internet]. CASCADES; 2023 [cited DATE]. Available from: https://cascadescanada.ca/.

Playbook: Integrating Environmental Sustainability into Hospital Pharmacies

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Suggested Citation:

Lam, I, Cao, K, Devitt, KS, Dhami, R. Integrating Environmental Sustainability into Hospital Pharmacies. Version 1.0. [Internet]. CASCADES; 2025 [cited DATE]. Available from: https://cascadescanada.ca/.

Scorecard: Sustainable Hospital Pharmacy Scorecard

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FAQ Sustainable Hospital Pharmacy Scorecard

Answers to frequently asked questions about the sustainable hospital pharmacy scorecard. 

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Document

Planning for disasters in hospital pharmacies: Developing a standard operating procedure

Guidance on how to develop a standard operating procedure for planning for disasters in hospital pharmacies

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Guide

Environmental Sustainability in Pharmacy: Approaches from Canadian Leaders

In this video, Canadian leaders discuss approaches to environmental sustainability in Pharmacy. Hosted by Fiona Miller, University of Toronto, Dalla Lana School of Public Health, speakers include: Shellyza Sajwani, The Ottawa Hospital, Celia Culley, Vancouver Island Health Authority, Terri Drover, Health Products Stewardship Association, Tarek Hussein, Weller Pharmacy.

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Webinar

Hospital Pharmacies and the Climate Crisis

This video features the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care, PEACH Health Ontario, and CASCADES welcoming Dr. Shellyza Moledina Sajwani, who provides an overview of the relevance of climate change to pharmacy practice. It focuses on practical, actionable objectives that can be implemented within hospital pharmacy settings, using the Ottawa Hospital Pharmacy Environmental Stewardship Committee as an example of environmental stewardship in practice.

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Webinar