The anesthetic gas and vapors that leak out and into the
surrounding room during medical procedures are considered waste anesthetic gases.
At any given time more than 250,000 people who work in hospitals, operating rooms,
dental offices and veterinary clinics, might be exposed unnecessarily to harmful
levels of waste anesthetic gases. The waste anesthetic gases and vapors of concern
are nitrous oxide and halogenated agents (vapors) such as halothane, enflurane,
methoxyflurane, trichloroethylene, and chloroform. Some potential effects of
exposure to waste anesthetic gases are nausea, dizziness, headaches, fatigue,
and irritability, as well as sterility, miscarriages, birth defects, cancer,
and liver and kidney disease, among operating room staff or their spouses (in
the case of miscarriages and birth defects). Employers and employees should be
aware of the potential effects of waste anesthetic gases and be advised to take
appropriate precautions. The following questions link to resources that provide
safety and health information relevant to waste anesthetic gases in the workplace.
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