According to Practice Greenhealth, an organization for sustainable health care, operating rooms drive up to 60% of a hospital’s revenue while producing more than 30% of its waste, and two-thirds of its regulated medical waste while consuming three to six times more energy per square foot than anywhere else in the facility.
- The medical center has achieved a 72% reduction of anesthesia-related greenhouse gas emissions (from a 2018 baseline) across the health system.
- At ambulatory surgery locations, the medical center implemented a strategy to reduce the number of air exchanges in operating rooms during unoccupied evenings and weekends. This adjustment, made in line with sustainability goals, resulted in a significant energy savings of up to 50% in those spaces. This effort highlights our commitment to reducing environmental impact and improving energy efficiency across the system.
- A pilot program to recycle clinical plastics was launched in several operating rooms at the Wexner Medical Center, diverting 3.5 tons in fiscal year 2024, an increase from 2.5 tons in FY23.
Greenhouse gas emissions per anesthetic agent from baseline
Image above: This graph shows the yearly greenhouse gas emissions for Sevoflurane, Isoflurane, and Desflurane anesthetic agents, with a noticeable reduction over time.