Environmental pollution successfully captured from hospital waste anaesthetic gasses – the technology may now be assessed within a clinical patient setting.

The results from a study by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust (GSTT) concerning the capture and recycling of environmentally polluting anaesthetic gasses have been published by the Association of Anaesthetists. The study analysed SageTech Medical’s (SageTech) SID-Dock capture system, concluding that the system has a high baseline efficiency of 94.8 per cent when used in a clinical setting and without the variability of a patient being present. The study also found that GSTT may now assess the technology within a full clinical patient setting.

Anaesthetic gases globally are responsible for an estimated 3.1m tonnes of CO2 emissions every year. SageTech’s solution safely captures waste volatile anaesthetic onto a carbon filter contained inside a reusable capture canister (SID-Can). Two SID-Cans are housed inside a SID-Dock capture machine which connects to existing hospital equipment.

Full SID-Cans are collected from hospitals and emptied at regional recovery hubs before being returned for reuse. Recovered liquid waste is then transported in bulk to a purification and manufacturing facility in Devon, where it is recycled for future reuse by hospitals.

SageTech is a portfolio company of EMV Capital, the VC investor specialising in early-stage high-growth deep tech companies. EMV Capital is a wholly owned subsidiary of NetScientific plc (AIM:NSCI), a life sciences and technology commercialisation and investment group.

Dr Iain Menneer, CEO of SageTech Medical, commented: “Inhalational anaesthetic agents are potent greenhouse gasses. The NHS’ Long Term plan sets a target of a 40 per cent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, and while some progress has been made in that regard, new opportunities such as our inhalation agent waste capture technology are important for further reductions.

“We are therefore delighted with the independent study by Guy’s and St Thomas’ NHS Foundation Trust which confirmed the high baseline efficiency of our solution when used in the clinical setting without the variability of a patient being present.  We look forward to a follow up study, assessing our technology within a full clinical patient setting.

“Looking at the issue that we address more widely, we believe that DEFRA in the UK should step in and regulate pollution by hospitals, which would continue the long tradition of the UK leading by example on medical and sustainability issues.”

Dr Ilian Iliev, CEO of NetScientific, added: “We are very pleased with the SageTech team’s progress in this important area. Collecting and recycling waste volatile anaesthetic agents from hospitals and veterinary clinics reduces the significant burden associated with their virgin manufacture, and the environmental impact of their release.

“SageTech’s circular economy solution helps to protect the health of people and our planet, while saving costs. We are therefore delighted with Guy’s and St Thomas’ very positive findings in the conclusion of their independent study of SageTech’s pioneering solution.”