Modern healthcare faces a dual challenge: safeguarding patient safety while addressing the urgent call for environmental sustainability. Research indicates that the healthcare sector accounts for 4.4% of global CO₂ emissions, equivalent to the footprint of an entire nation, with plastics alone contributing nearly 36% . Among them, disposable anesthesia breathing circuits represent a significant source. For example, a medium-to-large U.S. hospital consumes more than 21,000 anesthesia breathing circuits annually , generating considerable emissions during production.

Drawing on nearly 40 years of expertise in respiratory care consumables, GaleMed Corporation is proud to announce the launch of BioVent-Circuit™ — the world’s first anesthesia breathing circuit made from sugarcane-derived bioplastic. The product will make its international debut at MEDICA 2025 in Düsseldorf, Germany, establishing a new benchmark for combining clinical safety with environmental responsibility.

Verified Carbon Reduction, Meeting Market and Regulatory Demands

The key advantage of BioVent-Circuit™ lies in its measurable and verified carbon reduction. According to independent third-party life cycle assessments (LCA), each 1.8-meter BioVent-Circuit™ reduces approximately 1 kilogram of CO₂ emissions compared with a conventional fossil-based circuit. For hospitals consuming more than 20,000 units annually, this translates into a reduction of around 20 tons of CO₂ per year—equivalent to the annual absorption capacity of a medium-sized forest.

With the enforcement of the EU Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (CSRD) and Green Public Procurement (GPP), healthcare providers and supply chains face increasing sustainability pressures. BioVent-Circuit™ not only complies with international clinical safety standards but also provides transparent and verifiable data, enabling hospitals to fulfill sustainability commitments while maintaining patient safety.

Advancing Healthcare Sustainability with a Global Outlook

Thomas Willemsen, CEO of GaleMed, commented:

“The launch of BioVent-Circuit™ marks a milestone in GaleMed’s mission to create value for both patients and the planet. By focusing on measurable carbon reduction in the manufacturing process, we provide hospitals with a transparent and reliable solution that supports their sustainability commitments while ensuring clinical excellence. This is more than a product launch—it demonstrates how healthcare can lead the way in sustainability.”

Looking ahead, the global respiratory care devices market is projected to grow at a 6–8% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) between 2025 and 2030. At the same time, if no action is taken, the plastic-related carbon footprint is expected to reach 1.34 billion tons by 2030 . In this context, BioVent-Circuit™ is poised to become a vital solution, helping healthcare systems reconcile clinical performance with environmental responsibility.