9 4 • O U T PA T I E N T S U R G E R Y M A G A Z I N E • J U N E 2 0 1 9
T
he impact
inhalational
anesthetics
have on the environ-
ment is probably
greater than you real-
ize. Consider these
planet-polluting reali-
ties:
• Administering the
inhalational agent des-
flurane at 10.0 liters
per minute for 1 hour
has the same global
warming potential as
driving a car from
Outpatient Surgery's
home office in subur-
ban Philadelphia to
AORN's headquarters
in Denver, Colo.
• Inhalational anesthetics are responsible for half of the life cycle of
greenhouse gas emissions coming from perioperative services.
• Waste anesthesia gas is responsible for more than 5% of a hospi-
tal's carbon footprint.
• The U.S. healthcare system accounts for 10% of the nation's green-
house gases.
Go Green With Anesthesia Gases
How you can protect the planet from wasted inhalational anesthetics.
Anesthesia Alert
Daniel Cook | Executive Editor
• AIR QUALITY All inhaled anesthetics are potent greenhouse gases, but desflu-
rane and nitrous oxide have the greatest impact on the environment.
Pamela
Bevelhymer,
RN,
BSN,
CNOR
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