Providers dropping common anesthesia drug that’s also a climate super pollutant

Desflurane, a widely used anesthetic in operating rooms across the globe, is facing a decline in usage due to its severe environmental ramifications. With growing awareness of its role as a potent climate super pollutant, many hospitals in the United States have begun to eliminate this anesthetic from their practices. On January 1, the European Union escalated the situation by banning desflurane except in critical medical scenarios. Alarmingly, this anesthetic is over 7,000 times more effective than carbon dioxide at warming the planet over a 20-year span when compared pound-for-pound. While reducing the use of desflurane is a positive step, experts emphasize that it’s only a small part of the broader challenge of climate change, which is primarily driven by larger emissions of carbon dioxide and methane. Despite its minor contribution to global warming, the emissions from desflurane are significant, with hospitals and healthcare facilities releasing approximately 1,000 tons of the gas every year. This pollution has a near-term climate impact comparable to the annual greenhouse gas emissions of around 1.6 million cars. For Jodi Sherman, an anesthesiologist at Yale University and the medical director of sustainability at Yale New Haven Health System, the decision to stop using desflurane is straightforward. "It has a relatively significant impact on healthcare delivery in hospitals, and we have straightforward alternatives," Sherman stated. The healthcare sector is responsible for 8.5% of the greenhouse gas emissions in the U.S., a figure that is double the global average for this industry. Notably, around 5% of these emissions originate from anesthesia gases. However, less than 5% of inhaled anesthetics are metabolized by patients, with the majority simply being released into the atmosphere. Medical professionals are increasingly recognizing the potential for the healthcare industry, particularly in anesthesia, to take a leadership role in emissions reduction. Shaneeta Johnson, a professor of surgery and global health at Meharry Medical College, asserts, "We have a significant role to play not only in contributing to greenhouse gas emissions but also in spearheading efforts to reduce them. Small changes can lead to substantial impacts."