HealthPRO Canada News
November 14, 2023
Canada’s ORs make the switch to greener gases
HealthPRO Canada is pleased to report that the use of desflurane gas is in decline across all provinces and territories. Leading the charge in decreased usage is Newfoundland at 39%, Ontario at 27% and B.C. at 23%, while Northwest Territories have eliminated its use entirely. A potent greenhouse gas (GHG), desflurane has a global warming potential (GWP) 2,500 times that of carbon dioxide (CO2) and 40-50 times greater than that of sevoflurane, another common anesthetic gas. In fact, only one hour of desflurane use is equivalent to the emissions produced by a car during a 370 km journey.
With the shift away from desflurane, sevoflurane is now the preferred anesthetic gas used in clinical settings across Canadian provinces and territories.
With sevoflurane and isoflurane gases on contract, HealthPRO Canada is proud to assist our 1,300+ member facilities make environmentally responsible choices for Canadians and the planet.