Tackling anaesthetic gas emissions in veterinary healthcare, one breath at a time
by Hannah Dale, Marketing & Communication Lead, SageTech Veterinary
Sustainability
by Hannah Dale, Marketing & Communications Lead,SageTech Veterinary
In the global fight against climate change, veterinary clinics may not immediately spring to mind as significant sources of greenhouse gas emissions. Yet, one of the more surprising contributors to a veterinary practice’s environmental footprint lies at the heart of animal care: anaesthetic gases. These invisible agents, essential for ensuring the welfare of animals during surgery, carry an often overlooked environmental cost.
Anaesthetic gases used in both human and veterinary healthcare are potent greenhouse gases (GHGs), with global warming potentials (GWPs) hundreds to thousands of times greater than carbon dioxide. Every year, it’s estimated that over 4 million tonnes of CO₂ equivalent emissions are released globally from the use of volatile anaesthetic agents.
Only around 3-5% of the anaesthetic gas that is administered during an operation is
absorbed by the patient. This means that 95% is released into the atmosphere as waste, equating to 74,000 tonnes of CO2 equivalent emissions (GWP20) being released from anaesthetic gas usage in veterinary practices each year in the UK.
Recognising the urgency of the issue, SageTech Veterinary, a UK-based company, has developed a pioneering solution to capture, recycle, and reduce the carbon footprint associated with these critical, yet harmful gases.
Anaesthetic agents like isoflurane and sevoflurane are widely used in general anaesthesia in veterinary healthcare. Their safety, reliability, and predictability make them desirable in surgical procedures. However, once exhaled by the patient, these gases are typically vented directly into the atmosphere as common practice. These gases linger in the atmosphere and contribute disproportionately to global warming due to their high GWPs and long atmospheric lifetimes.
Veterinary clinics face unique hurdles in addressing anaesthetic gas emissions as anaesthesia is a daily necessity across procedures ranging from neutering and dental work to more complex surgeries. For practices striving for net-zero emissions, anaesthetic gases represent a significant emissions blind spot.
According to internal industry assessments, anaesthetic gas emissions can account for up to one-fifth of a clinic’s Scope 1 and 2 emissions. Failing to tackle this issue could pose a substantial gap in sustainability strategies.
“When I first learnt of the environmental impact of waste volatile anaesthetic agents, I was shocked that my clinical use of these agents had been a significant part of my own carbon footprint. It was a desire to reduce this impact for the veterinary profession that led me to help develop this technology with the team at SageTech. With the technology now available, I believe the veterinary profession can demonstrate its responsibility by preventing these direct emissions.”
SageTech Veterinary’s innovative solution comes in the form of a waste anaesthetic gas capture and recycling device – the ‘VET-Dock’ – designed to integrate seamlessly and easily into veterinary practices.
The device captures exhaled waste anaesthetic gases before they are vented into the atmosphere, directing them instead into specially engineered VET-Cans – innovative filters selectively adsorb and store volatile compounds.
Once full, these filters are collected, returned to SageTech Veterinary, and the contents are extracted and purified, ready for future reuse as volatile anaesthetics. This circular economy model significantly reduces emissions, cuts down on virgin gas production, and supports a more sustainable supply chain for clinics.
In a major step toward accelerating the adoption of its solution, SageTech Veterinary has partnered with National Veterinary Services (NVS). This partnership combines SageTech Veterinary’s cutting-edge technology with NVS’s national logistics infrastructure, enabling efficient, low-carbon collection and delivery of VET-Cans across the UK.
By utilising existing NVS delivery routes and distribution networks, the partnership minimises additional transport emissions and allows clinics to seamlessly return and receive filters without increasing the carbon footprint of thier practice.
NVS, a recognised leader in sustainable business practices within the veterinary supply chain, is helping set a new standard for environmental responsibility, not just through their operations, but by supporting and scaling innovation that benefits the entire sector.
The environmental value of SageTech Veterinary’s technology extends well beyond emission reduction. Recycling waste gas reduces demand for virgin anaesthetic agent production and cuts down associated emissions. Additionally, the system improves air quality inside clinical environments, reducing occupational exposure for veterinary staff. What’s more, it allows veterinary practices to align with their sustainability goals and meet certain criteria.
SageTech Veterinary’s work aligns with wider sustainability movements in both veterinary and human healthcare. The UK’s NHS has already begun phasing out desflurane, one of the most damaging anaesthetic gases, and recent EU regulations on F-gases have set much stricter guidelines on how organisations must manage the release of these gases and limit their environmental impact.
SageTech Veterinary’s system has already been successfully trialled and adopted in veterinary settings across the UK. Its scalable and modular design ensures it can be integrated into clinics of all sizes. Full technical support, training, and logistics - enhanced through the NVS partnership - make implementation seamless and disruption-free.
“Whilst this is a largely unknown and significant carbon footprint for practices, the good news is that it can be addressed simply and with no burden on clinical practice or operations. At SageTech Veterinary we are very proud of what we have developed to reduce the impact of pet care without affecting the good work done day in day out in clinics across the country. Working with the team at NVS has been excellent and it is great to be working in partnership to help clinics in their journey reducing their impact on climate change.”
Anaesthetic gases may be invisible, but their impact is not and the need for change is imminent – and achievable. The veterinary profession has a unique opportunity to lead the charge toward a more sustainable future, where patient care and environmental responsibility go hand in hand.
SageTech Veterinary’s capture and recycling technology, especially when paired with the national reach and sustainable logistics of NVS, offers a practical, proven way forward. Clinics can now take action that delivers real impact – cutting emissions, protecting staff, and reducing costs – all without compromising the health and safety of the animals in their care.
By embracing SageTech Veterinary’s circular solutions and partnering across the supply chain, the veterinary industry can play a vital role in addressing climate change. With every anaesthetic cycle captured and reused, clinics contribute not only to healthier pets, but to a healthier planet.
Website: www.sagetechveterinary.comEmail: info@sagetechveterinary.com
