Reducing nitrous oxide pollution at SASH

What's the idea?

The NHS has committed to reach net zero for carbon emissions by 2045. Anaesthetic gases, including nitrous oxide products, account for 2% of the NHS overall carbon footprint.

There are many ways to reduce emissions from nitrous oxide products, including using clinically appropriate alternatives or using technology to ‘crack’ nitrous oxide, but tackling waste, which takes place before the nitrous oxide even reaches the patient, sometimes in the pipework, is the highest priority for reducing emissions.

To reduce pollution and waste related to nitrous oxide, pharmacy, anaesthetics and sustainability colleagues have worked to move from piped medical gases to cylinder usage in theatres, and remove gases where they are not clinically required.

• A small multi-disciplinary team (anaesthetics, pharmacy and sustainability) worked together with theatres and estates colleagues to identify key areas of nitrous oxide usage.
• Any opportunities to reduce, remove or streamline usage were undertaken, resulting in reductions in 2023/24.
• Where nitrous oxide was still in use, wall mounts have now been installed that can hold small cylinders, as a replacement for piped gas.
• This is likely to reduce pollution and waste further from 2024/25 onwards, as the pipework can now be decommissioned out of use.