Greenhouse gas emissions associated with anaesthetic gases in Australia, 2002-2022: a retrospective descriptive analysis.

OBJECTIVES

To assess changes in greenhouse gas emission rates associated with the use of anaesthetic gases (desflurane, sevoflurane, and isoflurane) in Australian health care during 2002-2022, overall and by state or territory and hospital type.

STUDY

DESIGN

Retrospective descriptive analysis of IQVIA anaesthetic gases purchasing data.

SETTING

All Australian public and private hospitals, 1 January 2002 - 31 December 2022.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Absolute carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) emissions and CO2e emissions rate per 100 000 population by gas and year, overall and by state/territory and hospital type (public or private).

RESULTS

The overall emissions rate increased from 74 t CO2e per 100 000 population in 2002 to 328 t CO2e per 100 000 population in 2012, most rapidly during 2002-2004 (annual percentage change [APC], 51%; 95% confidence interval [CI], 38-62%). The rate then declined to 83 t CO2e per 100 000 population in 2022, most rapidly during 2017-2022 (APC, -21%; 95% CI, -23% to -20%). Patterns of emissions rate change were similar for all states and territories. More units of sevoflurane than of desflurane or isoflurane were purchased each year throughout 2002-2022, but desflurane provided the largest proportion of total emissions from anaesthetic gases during 2002-2022: 33% in 2002, 88% in 2013, and 68% in 2022. Mean emission rates per 100 000 population during 2002-2022 were highest for South Australia/Northern Territory (276 t CO2e per year) and lowest for Victoria/Tasmania (196 t CO2e per year). The desflurane emissions rate was consistently higher for private than public hospitals; it declined for public hospitals during 2009-2018 (APC, -8%; 95% CI, -10% to -5%) and 2018-2022 (APC, -43%; 95% CI, -48% to -37%), but for private hospitals only during 2017-2022 (APC, -20%; 95% CI, -24% to -17%).

CONCLUSIONS

In Australia, the CO2e emissions rate for anaesthetic gases increased during 2002-2008 but declined during 2017-2022, at first primarily in public hospitals. Continuing to reduce the use of anaesthetic gases, particularly desflurane, will advance the decarbonisation of clinical practice in Australian health care.