The National Institute for Health and Care Research (NIHR) HealthTech Research Centre (HRC) in Sustainable Innovation has joined a new consortium, led by SageTech Medical, on a project to enhance and expand pioneering technology that enables the capture, recovery and reuse of volatile anaesthetic gases.
The project, which has been awarded £3.6 million in grant funding through Innovate UK’s Sustainable Medicines Manufacturing Innovation Programme (SSMIP), will bring together experts from SageTech, the NIHR HRC in Sustainable Innovation, Manufacturing Technology Centre, Centre for Process Innovation and the University of Plymouth.
As the NHS’s national centre for sustainable health technology development, the NIHR HRC in Sustainable Innovation – which is hosted by the Royal Devon University Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust in partnership with the University of Exeter – will lead clinical evaluations of the technology, supporting the next stage of development and wider NHS adoption.
Addressing the challenge of volatile anaesthetics
Volatile anaesthetic gases such as sevoflurane, isoflurane and desflurane emit around 4 million tonnes of CO₂e globally each year, with production and waste management adding another 3.75 million tonnes. Together, they are a major contributor to healthcare’s carbon footprint and global warming.
To tackle this, SageTech developed a circular solution that captures, recovers and recycles anaesthetic gas waste. Its reusable SID-Can filters collect waste during procedures, which is returned to SageTech for recovery and recycling. The recovered waste is then converted into reusable anaesthetics – creating a circular economy, cutting clinical costs and supporting NHS Net Zero goals by reducing emissions.
Accelerating sustainable gas recovery and reuse
The SSMIP grant will allow SageTech to expand manufacturing capacity and increase production of its patented recycling systems to meet growing demand in the UK and internationally. It will also enable the consortium to develop new, data-driven sustainable gas recovery and reuse technology, while enhancing existing systems by improving energy efficiency and minimising waste.
The project marks the next step in a growing partnership between SageTech, the NIHR HRC in Sustainable Innovation and its consortium partners – focused on reducing the climate impact of anaesthetic gases in healthcare.
“Securing this Grand Challenge funding marks a major milestone for SageTech Medical. SageTech are delighted to be working with some of the brightest and best scientists and engineers through MTC and CPI, and the opportunity to work again with trusted partners at the NIHR HRC in Sustainable Innovation and the University of Plymouth is very exciting. This funding will enable SageTech to build on the technologies we have developed, focusing on enhanced sustainability, costs reductions, and to prepare for increased scale as we expand across the UK, into the EU and beyond.”
Steve Wileman, SageTech Medical’s Head of Research
“Collaboration is essential to driving sustainable innovation in healthcare, and we’re proud to continue working alongside SageTech Medical and our consortium partners to advance this ground-breaking technology. This funding will enable us to evaluate and scale the technology, ensuring it delivers long-term value for the NHS – benefiting patients, staff and the environment.”
Professor Pete Ford, Consultant Anaesthetist at the Royal Devon and Sustainable Innovation Lead at the NIHR HRC in Sustainable Innovation
