P-1875. Building Sustainabil-ID: Advancing a New Field of Environmental Stewardship in Infectious Diseases

TL;DR

This paper introduces Sustainabil-ID, a new field in infectious diseases focused on reducing healthcare's greenhouse gas emissions through sustainability efforts led by ID professionals.

Contribution

The paper introduces Sustainabil-ID, a formalized collaborative model integrating sustainability into infectious diseases through four pathways: research, quality improvement, advocacy, and education.

Findings

Sustainabil-ID has grown to over 260 members with monthly meetings and outputs including peer-reviewed publications on antimicrobial waste and sustainability.

The group became a formal PIDS subcommittee in 2025 and plans to present at five national conferences in 2025.

Key strategies discussed include IV-to-oral conversions, reducing anti-infective waste, and greening labs.

Abstract

Healthcare contributes 8.5% of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions (GHGe).Infectious diseases (ID) professionals are uniquely positioned to lead environmental sustainability efforts given collaborative and leadership roles. Sustainabil-ID (Sustainability in ID) is a research collaborative that was launched to formalize this emerging field.Different Pathways to Sustainability in IDDifferent Pathways to Sustainability in IDTable 1:Key Articles on Healthcare Sustainability in Infectious DiseasesTable 1: Key Articles on Healthcare Sustainability in Infectious Diseases ( not an all inclusive list)

Different Pathways to Sustainability in ID

Different Pathways to Sustainability in ID

Key Articles on Healthcare Sustainability in Infectious Diseases

Table 1: Key Articles on Healthcare Sustainability in Infectious Diseases ( not an all inclusive list)

We convened a multidisciplinary group of ID clinicians and pharmacists to develop a four-pathway model for integrating sustainability into ID: research, quality improvement, advocacy, and education (Figure 1). Monthly virtual meetings began in 2023. We aligned efforts with national calls to action (e.g., Scope 3 emissions, telemedicine, IV-to-oral switches). A curated repository of tools and literature (Table 1) is discussed in meetings and shared via email with members.Table 2:Sustainabil-ID Output MetricsSome metrics that showcase how the field is evolving with more recent publications in the areaFigure 2:How can professionals be more sustainable?Actionable steps for all providers

Sustainabil-ID Output Metrics

Some metrics that showcase how the field is evolving with more recent publications in the area

How can professionals be more sustainable?

Actionable steps for all providers

The Sustainabil-ID network has grown to 260+ listserv members, with 30–40 attending monthly virtual meetings. Key outputs (Table 2) include peer-reviewed publications on antimicrobial waste, sustainability, and infection prevention. Topics discussed include IV-to-oral conversions, reducing anti-infective waste, single-use plastic reduction, and greening labs (Figure 2). In 2025, Sustainabil-ID became a formal PIDS subcommittee; PIDS also issued a statement on the importance of this topic. The group remains open to pediatric and adult ID professionals globally. Members will present at five national conferences in 2025. Ongoing efforts include curriculum development, multi-site research, and a public-facing resource hub.

Sustainabil-ID defines a new field in infectious diseases focused on reducing healthcare’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. As climate change drives the spread of vectorborne, waterborne, and zoonotic infections, ID professionals must lead sustainability efforts. This interdisciplinary model offers practical strategies for GHG reduction rooted in core ID principles. Broader engagement across pediatric and adult ID is vital to mitigate climate harms and protect public health.

All Authors: No reported disclosures

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