Huella de carbono corporativa en la práctica optométrica en grupo de ópticas de diferentes municipios de Colombia en el año 2024

Abstract

Climate change represents one of the greatest environmental and public health challenges worldwide. The health sector, including visual care services, generates greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions that must be quantified in order to design effective mitigation strategies. In Colombia, there are no previous studies assessing the carbon footprint of optical practices, revealing a gap in knowledge and sustainability actions within this sector.Objective: To determine the corporate carbon footprint of optical practices located in different Colombian cities, identifying the main emission sources according to the established scopes.Methodology: An observational, descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted using the Carbon Neutral Plus digital calculator, based on the Greenhouse Gas Protocol (GHG Protocol), to estimate the corporate carbon footprint from data on energy consumption, refrigerant use, transportation, and operational characteristics. A convenience sample of 15 commercial optical practices located in different municipalities of Colombia was included. Data were collected through structured, self-administered questionnaires adapted to the categories of energy consumption, transportation, and waste management.Results: In 2024, the total corporate carbon footprint of the evaluated optical practices was 57.04 tCO₂e. Scope 1 was the main source of emissions, accounting for 42.62 tCO₂e (74.8%), mainly associated with fugitive emissions from refrigerants and fire extinguishers, with R-410A being the most frequently used. Scope 2 contributed 6.27 tCO₂e (11.0%) from electricity consumption, while Scope 3 generated 8.15 tCO₂e (14.3%), primarily related to staff and patient transportation and work-related travel. Significant variability was observed among optical practices, associated with operational and contextual differences across municipalities.Discussion: The findings show that optometric practice, despite its ambulatory and small-scale nature, generates a relevant environmental impact. Scope 1 emissions predominate due to refrigerant use, while energy consumption (Scope 2) is moderate and transportation (Scope 3) represents a significant indirect source of emissions. These results highlight the need to measure the carbon footprint to guide sustainable practices in the Colombian optometric sector.Conclusion: Optometric practice in Colombia generates a relevant corporate carbon footprint, even as a small-scale ambulatory service, with a predominance of direct emissions associated with refrigerant use. These findings underscore the importance of incorporating carbon footprint assessment as a strategic tool to promote more sustainable environmental management in the optometric sector.