A West London hospital is to trial an innovative medical device which captures and recycles waste anaesthetic gases, preventing them from polluting the atmosphere.
The trial, taking place at Cromwell Hospital, was facilitated by Bupa’s eco-Disruptive programme.
The programme sees employers partner with sustainability start-ups to tackle environmental challenges.
Sarah Melia, General Manager Health Services, Bupa UK said:
“Sustainability is at the heart of Bupa’s purpose.
“We know that the health of the planet and people’s health are intertwined and it’s essential we’re looking after both.
“To do this, we need innovative solutions to the sustainability challenges we face, and our trial of SageTech Medical’s system is a good example of the steps we’re taking to become Net Zero.’
About 95 per cent of the anaesthetic used during surgery is exhaled by patients and released into the atmosphere as waste, equating to 97,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) each year in the UK alone.
The SID-Dock, developed by SageTech Medical, can capture 99.9 per cent of this waste material, helping to reduce hospitals’ carbon footprint.
SageTech was one of six start-ups to make it through to the global final of the 2022 eco-Disruptive programme.
The unique circular economy solution not only reduces direct emissions but also recycles the waste anaesthetic so it can be reused by hospitals.
This means that the volume of virgin drug that needs to be manufactured is also significantly reduced, conserving natural resources and reducing the associated emissions.
Iain Menneer, SageTech Medical CEO said:
“‘It’s been fantastic to work with Bupa on this programme.
“Partnering start-ups with a big corporate organisation can help fast-track pioneering solutions in healthcare and we’re proud to work with Bupa and Cromwell Hospital to help advance their sustainability agenda.”
Mehnuhlik Lynch, Anaesthetic Team Leader at Cromwell Hospital, said:
“Clinicians are becoming more and more aware about the impact their clinical practice is having on the environment.
“Using SageTech’s solution, we can help reduce the carbon footprint of anaesthesia and give patients a greener choice for their healthcare.
“We’re really excited to be trialling this ground-breaking technology at Cromwell Hospital.”
