Persistent use of nitrous oxide for anaesthesia in European hospitals despite its harmfulness to the climate – how emission taxation can achieve the coupling of cost-effectiveness and climate protection: observational study

Table 2 Annual costs of nitrous oxide depending on the pricing regimen applied, based on emissions university hospital Gießen

Year	Total tCO₂e emissions due to nitrous oxide	Total cost if 1 tonne CO_2e = €0	Total cost if 1 tonne CO_2e = €25 (price in Germany in 2021)	Total cost if 1 tonne CO_2e = €55 (price in Germany in 2025)	Total cost if 1 tonne CO_2e = €698 (calculated socio-economic damage)
2016	731	4,907	23,179	45,104	515,037
2017	1,185	7,944	37,558	73,094	834,760
2018	1,319	8,810	41,776	81,336	929,228
2019	2,104	14,040	66,618	129,712	1,482,028
2020	1,434	9,575	45,390	88,369	1,009,554

Total price without annual maintenance costs of approximately €600. Net prices. CO₂e – CO₂ equivalent

ISSN: 1472-6963