General anaesthesia and the environment

Theatre pollution by anaesthetic agents has been the subject of considerable study and discussion. However the environmental effects of these agents has received little attention. In this paper we review the environmental effects of anaesthetic agents. Volatile anaesthetic agents such as halothane, isoflurane, and enflurane would appear to have minimal atmospheric polluting potential. Nitrous oxide however is a greenhouse gas and can also indirectly contribute to ozone layer depletion. We would suggest that the continued use of nitrous oxide in large quantities must be viewed with concern.