Batteries Within Diabetes Devices: A Narrative Review on Recycling, Environmental, and Sustainability Perspective

The adoption of diabetes technology for the management of type 1 and insulin-treated type 2 diabetes has greatly increased. The annual volume of discarded continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) devices, considering only Dexcom and Freestyle Libre brands, totals more than 153 million units and Omnipod^® contributes an additional estimated 43.8 million units. Although these technologies are clinically effective, their environmental impact is unknown. Batteries are a pivotal, yet often overlooked, component in diabetes technologies and can exert a detrimental impact on the environment. In this commentary article, we explore the environmental impact of batteries used in diabetes devices. Furthermore, we highlight various strategies, including recycling of used batteries and alternative design approaches, that may reduce the environmental burden, as they become the ubiquitous standard of care for people with diabetes.