This guide has been designed for anaesthetists and specialist pain medicine physicians interested in relevant resources on environmental sustainability, including those available through the ANZCA library.
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Library > Library guides > Environmental sustainability
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Hegedus J, Wyssusek K. Medical waste increasing during pandemic. ANZCA Bulletin; 2020; 29(3); 54-55.
Jones C. Searching for the gold in garbage. ANZCA Bulletin; 2020; 29(3); 52-53.
Grobler S, Davies J.Clean up theatre day –“reduce bluey use”. ANZCA Bulletin; 2020; 29(2); 54-55.
Zanker A. Flinders' recycling initiative. ANZCA Bulletin; 2020; 29(1); 29.
Crossley A. Environmental sustainability working group (ESWG). ANZCA Bulletin. 2019; 28 (4): 50.
Owen T. Sunshine Coast University Hospital. ANZCA Bulletin. 2019; 28 (4): 51.
Ma S. College to develop guidelines on sustainability. ANZCA Bulletin. 2017; 26(1): 12.
Kissane K. The accidental greenie. ANZCA Bulletin; 2017; 26(1): 41.
Jones C. Climate smart anaesthesia. ANZCA Bulletin; 2017; 26(4): 52-53.
Ewart S. Hospital staff welcome recycling scheme. ANZCA Bulletin; 2016; 25(1): 38.
Yaman E. Greening your gases. ANZCA Bulletin; 2013; 22(4): 46-47.
Lightfoot S. Anaesthesia and the environment: how big is our footprint?ANZCA Bulletin; 2009; 18(1): 32-33.
Kayak E, McGain F. Doctors for the Environment Australia. ANZCA Bulletin; 2009; 18(1): 28-30.
McGain F. Personal experience: initiating operating theatre plastic recycling programs.ANZCA Bulletin; 2009; 18(1): 29-30.
Last updated: 23 March 2023
Oderberg I.Air grievances: silence swirls around the toll of bushfire smoke during pregnancy. The Guardian. Published 2021 Jan 11.
Webster P. Canada's municipalities push for health-based climate action. Lancet. 2021 Jan 2;397(10268):14-15. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(20)32753-7.
Wanderer JP, Nathan N. Reduce, reuse… reprocess? Strategies for extended use of N95 masks. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2021 Jan;132(1):1. doi: 10.1213/ANE.0000000000005300.
McMichael C, Kelman I, Dasgupta S, Ayeb-Karlsson S.Climate change is resulting in profound, immediate and worsening health impacts, over 120 researchers say. Published 2020 Dec 3.
Davey M.Australia's bushfire season saw spikes in emergency respiratory visits and inhaler sales, report finds. The Guardian. Published 2020 Nov 25.
Evitaputri D. Prime Minister must tackle climate change with same urgency as COVID-19: open letter from health groups. [Internet]. Climate and Health Alliance. Published 2020 Nov 16.
CSIRO. State of the climate 2020. [Internet]. CSIRO; 2020.
Shelton CL, Sutton R, White SM. Desflurane in modern anaesthetic practice: walking on thin ice(caps)? British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2020 Oct 7:S0007-0912(20)30766-2.
Meyer MJ. Desflurane should des-appear: global and financial rationale [published online ahead of print, 2020 Aug 20]. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2020;10.
Zhong G, Abbas A, Jones J, Kong S, McCulloch T. Environmental and economic impact of using increased fresh gas flow to reduce carbon dioxide absorbent consumption in the absence of inhalational anaesthetics[article in press, 2020 Aug 25]. British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2020. doi: 10.1016/j.bja.2020.07.043
McGain F, Muret J, Lawson C, Sherman JD. Environmental sustainability within anaesthesia and critical care [published online ahead of print, 2020 Aug 11].British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2020;S0007-0912(20)30547-X.
Zavaleta-Cortijo C, Ford JD, Arotoma-Rojas I, et al. Climate change and COVID-19: reinforcing Indigenous food systems [published online ahead of print, 2020 Aug 7]. Lancet Planetary Health. 2020;S2542-5196(20)30173-X.
Wyssusek K, Keys M, Laycock B, et al. The volume of recyclable polyethylene terephthalate plastic in operating rooms - A one-month prospective audit [published online ahead of print, 2020 Jun 4]. American Journal of Surgery. 2020;S0002-9610(20)30267-1. doi:10.1016/j.amjsurg.2020.05.011
Pierce T, Lawson C. A call to arms. RCOA Bulletin; 2020; 1(119); 34-35.
Groome J. Greener anaesthesia and sustainability project. RCOA Bulletin; 2020; 1(119); 32-33.
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA). Climate change adaptation toolbox. [Internet]. NIWA; 2020.
McGain F. Why anaesthetists should no longer use nitrous oxide. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. 2007 Oct;35(5):808-9.
Ryan SM, Nielsen CJ. Global warming potential of inhaled anesthetics: application to clinical use. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2010 Jul;111(1):92-8.
McGain E, Hendel SA, Story DA. An audit of potentially recyclable waste from anaesthetic practice. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. 2009 Sep;37(5):820-3.
The Lancet Planetary Health. Our polluted world: the need for a global pollution strategy. [Editorial] The Lancet Planet Health.2017 Sep 1; 1(6):e209.
Poore KR, Hanson MA, Faustman EM, Neira M. Avoidable early life environmental exposures. Lancet Planet Health. 2017 Aug 1;1(5):e172-e173.
Andersen MPS, Nielsen OJ, Wallington TJ, Karpichev B, Sander SP. Medical intelligence article: assessing the impact on global climate from general anesthetic gases. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012 May;114(5):1081-5.
Sherman J, Le C, Lamers V, Eckelman M. Life cycle greenhouse gas emissions of anesthetic drugs. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012 May;114(5):1086-90.
Eckelman MH, Sherman J. Environmental impacts of the US health care system and effects on public health. PLoS One. 2016 Jun 9;11(6):e0157014.
Pinkney J, Rance S, Benger J, Brant H, Joel-Edgar S, Swancutt D, et al. How can frontline expertise and new models of care best contribute to safely reducing avoidable acute admissions? A mixed-methods study of four acute hospitals. 2016 Jan. Health Serv Deliv Res;4(3).
Blau E, Asrar FM, Arya N, Schabort I, Abelsohn A, Price D. Greener medical homes: Environmental responsibility in family medicine. Canadian Family Physician. 2016 May;62(5):381-4.
Sneyd JR, Montgomery H, Pencheon D. The anaesthetist and the environment. Anaesthesia. 2010 May;65(5):435-7.
The Association of Anaesthetists of Great Britain and Ireland. Safety Guideline. Infection Control in Anaesthesia. [Internet] 2008 Sep; 63(9): 1027–36.
Frischknecht R, Jungbluth N, Althaus H-J, Doka G, Dones R, Heck T, et al. The ecoinvent Database: Overview and Methodological Framework. International Journal of Life Cycle Assessment. 2005;10(1):3- 9.
Weidema B P, Bauer C, Hischier R, Mutel C, Nemecek T, Reinhard J et al. Overview and methodology. Data quality guideline for the ecoinvent database version 3. Ecoinvent Report 1(v3). St. Gallen: The ecoinvent Centre; 2013.
Overcash M. A comparison of reusable and disposable perioperative textiles: sustainability state-ofthe-art 2012. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012 May;114(5):1055-66.
McGain F, McAlister S, McGavin A, Story D. The financial and environmental costs of reusable and single-use plastic anaesthetic drug trays. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. 2010 May;38(3):538-44.
Eckelman M, Mosher M, Gonzalez A, Sherman J. Comparative life cycle assessment of disposable and reusable laryngeal mask airways. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012 May ;114(5):1067-72.
McGain F, Story D, Lim T, McAlister S. Financial and environmental costs of reusable and singleuse anaesthetic equipment. British Journal of Anaesthesia. 2017 Jun 1;118(6):862-9.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Guidelines for Preventing Health-Care-- Associated Pneumonia, 2003 - Recommendations of CDC and the Healthcare Infection ControlPractices Advisory Committee. [Internet]. CDC; 2003.
Kramer A, Kranabetter R, Rathgeber J, Züchner K, Assadian O, Daeschlein G, et al. Infection prevention during anaesthesia ventilation by the use of breathing system filters (BSF): Joint recommendation by German Society of Hospital Hygiene (DGKH) and German Society for Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care (DGAI). GMS Krankenhhyg Interdiszip. 2010 Sep 21;5(2).
Dubler S, Zimmermann S, Fischer M, Schnitzler P, Bruckner T, Weigand MA, et al. Bacterial and viral contamination of breathing circuits after extended use - an aspect of patient safety? Acta Anaesthesiol Scand. 2016 Oct;60(9):1251-60.
McGain F, Algie CM, O'Toole J, Lim TF, Mohebbi M, Story DA, et al. The microbiological and sustainability effects of washing anaesthesia breathing circuits less frequently. Anaesthesia. 2014;69(4):337-42.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). Climate change and health position statement. November 2016. Sydney, NSW: RACP; 2016 Nov.
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Summary for Policymakers. In: MassonDelmotte, VP. Zhai, H-O. Pörtner, D. Roberts, J. Skea, PR. Shukla, A. et al., editors. Global Warming of 1.5°C. An IPCC Special Report on the impacts of global warming of 1.5°C above preindustrial levels and related global greenhouse gas emission pathways, in the context of strengthening the global response to the threat of climate change, sustainable development, and efforts to eradicate poverty. Geneva, Switzerland World Meteorological Organization, 2018.
McAlister S, Ou Y, Neff E, Hapgood K, Story D, Mealey P, et al. The Environmental footprint of morphine: a life cycle assessment from opium poppy farming to the packaged drug. BMJ Open. 2016 Oct 21;6(10):e013302.
RNZCGP, Randerson R, Phipps R. Greening General Practice. A toolkit for sustainable practice.Wellington: The Royal New Zealand College of General Practitioners; 2016.
Mankes RF. Propofol wastage in anesthesia. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012 May;114(5):1091-2.
McGain F, McAlister S, McGavin A, Story D. A life cycle assessment of reusable and single-use central venous catheter insertion kits. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012 May;114(5):1073-80.
The Royal Australasian College of Physicians (RACP). The Health Benefits of Mitigating Climate Change Position Statement,. November 2016. Sydney, NSW: RACP; 2016 Nov
Ryan S, Sherman J. Sustainable anesthesia. Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012 May;114(5):921-3.
Wyssusek KH, Foong WM, Steel C, Gillespie BM. The Gold in Garbage: Implementing a Waste Segregation and Recycling Initiative. AORN Jl. 2016 Mar;103(3):316.e1-8.
Gilbert N. Drug waste harms fish. Nature. 2011 Aug 15;476(7360):265.
Watts N, Adger WN, Agnolucci P, et al. Health and climate change: policy responses to protect public health. Lancet. 2015;386(10006):1861-1914. doi:10.1016/S0140-6736(15)60854-6
Malik A, Lenzen M, McAlister S, McGain F. The carbon footprint of Australian health care. Lancet Planetary Health. 2018;2(1):e27-e35. doi:10.1016/S2542-5196(17)30180-8
Sustainable Development Unit. Carbon footprint from anaesthetic gas use. [internet]. Cambridge, UK: Sustainable Development Unit; Dec 2013.
McGain F, Story D, Kayak E, Kashima Y, McAlister S. Workplace sustainability: the "cradle to grave" view of what we do.Anesthesia and Analgesia. 2012;114(5):1134-1139. doi:10.1213/ANE.0b013e31824ddfef
Maughan D, Ansell J. Protecting resources, promoting value – A doctor’s guide to cutting waste in clinical care. London, UK: Academy of Medical Royal Colleges; 2014 Nov 6.
Ard JL Jr, Tobin K, Huncke T, Kline R, Ryan SM, Bell C. A survey of the American Society of Anesthesiologists regarding environmental attitudes, knowledge, and organization. A & A Case Reports. 2016;6(7):208-216. doi:10.1213/XAA.0000000000000184
Pungsornruk K, Forbes MP, Hellier C, Bryant M. A renewed call for environmentally responsible anaesthesia. Anaesthesia and Intensive Care. 2015;43(6):800-801.
ANZCA acknowledges the traditional custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises their unique cultural and spiritual relationships to the land, waters and seas and their rich contribution to society. We pay our respects to ancestors and Elders, past, present, and emerging.
ANZCA acknowledges and respects Māori as the Tangata Whenua of Aotearoa and is committed to upholding the principles of the Treaty of Waitangi, fostering the college’s relationship with Māori, supporting Māori fellows and trainees, and striving to improve the health of Māori.