Environmental Impact of Veterinary Pharmaceuticals and Anaesthesia Flashcards
What emissions from spot on treated dogs account for an estimated 20-40% of measures wastewater pollution ?
Bathing, bed, and handwashing
Describe bio accumulation
Net accumulation ion or an on an organism from all sources
Biomagnification?
An increase in toxic ant concentrations from one tropic level to the next due to accumulation from food
What is the metric that measures non-CO2 emissions to give them a CO2 equivalent?
Global Warming Potential (GWP)
How much do Volatile anaesthetics contribute to emissions?
- Volatile anaesthetics are estimated to be responsible to 0.01-0.10% of total global CO2 equivalent emissions
- The GWP of desflurane is approx 40-50 times that of secondary and iso
- nitrous oxide has a very long atmospheric lifetime (114y)
How much warming effect of an hour’s anaesthetics?
800-1,600g CO2
What are some recommendations for reducing anaesthetics gas use?
- Stop using nitrous oxide
- Avoid prolonged or unnecessary anesthesia
- Regularly check and service anaesthetics equipment
- Use soda lime containing rebreathing systems where possible
- Choose non-rebreathing systems which use lower FGFs
- Use end-tidal capo graphs to find lowest FGF
- Use volatile agent-sparing drugs and techniques
- Consider TIVA/ PIVA
- Consider using second rather than iso
What does any new Market Athorisation must contain?
An Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of the potential risks that the veterinary medicinal product might pose to the environment
What is the purpose of the ERA?
- identify potential environmental nhazards and risks
- identify the need for specific risk-minimisationmeasures
- ensure appropriate labeling is in place for users and healthcare professionals
Describe the tier-based phases of ERA?
- Phase I - Decision tree
- Phase II - Tailored studies to address identified concerns
What Stop decisions for VMPs are included in phase I?
- VMp that are natural substances - already present in environment unlikely to change environmental concentrations
- VMP for non-food producing animals - not extensively reared and to for individuals
- VMps extensively metabolized - do not enter environment
- VMPs given to food producing animals whose waste is prevented from entering the environment through disposal
ERA - Phase II?
- Aim is to assess potential for VMps to affect non-target species in the environment
- Taxonomic levels tested are intended to serve as surrogates or indicators for the range of species present in the environment through
- The route & quantity of a VMp entering the environment determines the extent o the risk assessment
- Ratio of the predicted environmental concentration to the predicted no effect concentration on non-target organisms is calculated - no further testing if <1
How can we improve sustainability with pharmaceuticals?
- Consider the environmental impact of medicines when prescribing
- Keep up to date with advances in practice
- Collaborate with other vets to reduce use of meds
- Lead audit work on environmental sustainability
- Incorporate environmental risk in practice policies
- Antibiotic resistance - speak to owners & educate!
- Actively promote vaccination
What general advise to clients?
- Regularly check pets from fleas and ticks
- Hot wash bedding weekly
- Regurlaly vaccuum where pets lie
- Bag and bin pet faces (limit spread of worms)
Advice about SPOT ONs?
- Instruct owners on how to apply the product correctly
- Do not touch or groom animals until the application site is dry
- Do not allow dog to swim for 48hrs after application
- Remove flea and ticks collars containing imidacloprid before swimming
- Never flush unused products down the toilet
Reminder to disposal categories?
