Cromwell Hospital has become the first private hospital in the UK to trial an innovative medical device which captures and recycles waste anaesthetic gases,
preventing them from polluting the atmosphere. The trial was made possible through Bupa’s eco-Disruptive programme, which sees employees partner with sustainability start-ups to tackle environmental challenges.
About 95% of the anaesthetic used during surgery is exhaled by patients and released into the
atmosphere as waste. This equates to 97,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (CO2e) each
year in the UK alone 1 . The SID-Dock, developed by SageTech Medical, can capture 99.9% of
this waste anaesthetic, helping to reduce hospitals’ carbon footprint.
The SID-Dock fits easily and safely into hospital operating theatres, without having to make
changes to any existing equipment. It works by capturing the waste anaesthetic breathed out by
a patient during an operation. This is safely stored in canisters. When they are full, SageTech
collect them from the hospital and take them to their processing facility where the captured
anaesthetic is purified and recycled back into pharmaceuticals, ready to be used again by
hospitals.
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.’
SageTech was one of six start-ups that made it through to the global final of the 2022 eco-
Disruptive programme. Their unique circular economy solution not only reduces direct emissions,
but they’ve developed purification technology to recycle the waste anaesthetic so it can be
reused by hospitals. This means 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 is leading the trial. He 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.’
Dr John Cousins, lead anaesthetist at the Cromwell Hospital in London, said ‘The impact of anaesthetic gases on climate change is far from insignificant,
and as clinicians we’re becoming increasingly aware of how our practice choices could affect the environment. I’m excited to be trialling this technology at Cromwell Hospital with our chief ODP Mehn Lynch as part of our look to set out a more sustainable future. We were very encouraged to find that it is very easy to install and use – with no changes needed to existing theatre equipment or clinical practice. Like most responsible businesses, sustainability is high on the agenda at the Cromwell and I’m
looking forward to see what emissions we’re able to save through SageTech’s solution.’
This trial is another step on Cromwell Hospital’s sustainability journey. It’s working with Upcycled
– Bupa Global & UK’s regional winner in the inaugural 2021 eco-Disruptive programme – to
provide uniforms and scrubs made from waste plastic collected from the sea and landfill. The
1 Hu, X, et al, Resources, Conservation and Recycling 2021; Volume 167. The carbon footprint of general
anaesthetics.
Hospital also runs on 100% renewable electricity and last year installed a new filter water system, saving 140,000 plastic bottles per year.
