Eliminating laughing gas leaks
Game Changer (>100 tCO₂e per hospital or >3 tCO₂e per primary practice)Nitrous oxide, or laughing gas, has a high global warming potential at 273x more than carbon dioxide. Centralized distribution of nitrous oxide in hospitals results in significant leakage with some audits suggesting 95% of gas is lost prior to reaching patients.
Transitioning to point-of-care nitrous oxide cylinders reduces leakages, minimizes safety risks, and saves cost associated with lost product and system maintenance.
This solution is featured by Choosing Wisely Canada
“Don’t use nitrous oxide for general anesthesia. ”
Nitrous oxide is an important greenhouse gas in the atmosphere and a significant contributor to stratospheric ozone layer depletion. The use of nitrous oxide as a general anesthetic offers no clinical benefit to the patient and has been clearly demonstrated to increase postoperative nausea and vomiting. In addition, anesthesia care providers should advocate for the decommissioning of centralized nitrous oxide distribution systems. These systems are costly to install and maintain. Central systems leak at many points along the distribution path such as at pipeline fittings, valves, wall outlets and manifolds, greatly increasing nitrous oxide purchasing costs, greenhouse gas emissions and potentially impacting air quality in health care facilities. Canadian hospitals have consistently demonstrated leakage rates of up to 99% PRIOR to the point of care. Centralized nitrous oxide distribution systems are both environmentally and economically inefficient and should be eliminated.
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This solution is featured by the Canadian Coalition for Green Health Care
Learn more about this solution in the Coalition's Green Health Care Guidebook.
