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AIR PRODUCTS ON THE ROAD TO GREENER GAS
SUPPLY
19th February 2001 — Air Products-Medical
Group has demonstrated that it can reduce the amount of
air pollution resulting from the transportation of medical
liquid oxygen by more than a third. This improvement has
been identified since Air Products won the contract to supply
bulk liquid oxygen to 45 NHS Trust hospitals in Scotland
in July 1999.
The estimated 33 per cent fall in the level of emissions
released into the atmosphere in 2000 comes as a direct result
of a reduction in the number of deliveries to Scottish hospitals
whilst, at the same time, increasing the volume of their
on-site storage. This means that last year in Scotland alone,
Air Products reduced the amount of pollution released into
the atmosphere by 23 tonnes, while delivering the same quantity
of medical liquid oxygen.
The reduction in deliveries has been made possible through
an increase in the capacity of the on-site storage tanks
combined with greater emphasis on scheduled deliveries.
Tim McLeod-Clarke, general manager of Air Products-Medical
Group, commented, "The Air Products service is about
much more than just oxygen provision. Through our innovative
solutions and improved supply, we are able to cut deliveries
and schedule them at a time convenient to the client, whilst
reducing environmental discharge.
"This yet again demonstrates the ways in which we
have developed our service in line with the needs of the
customer and in line with a modernising health service as
well as the Government's environmental strategy."
All of Air Products-Medical Group's bulk supply installations
have greatly increased levels of oxygen storage capacity
at client hospitals, often exceeding the HTM 2022 industry
guideline. This calls for at least 14 days main supply with
a minimum back up of 24 hours supply. At Ninewells hospital
in Dundee, a major acute district general hospital, medical
liquid oxygen capacity was more than doubled while the number
of deliveries halved in 2000.
The benefits of a reduced number of deliveries has an additional
environmental advantage for hospitals with an Air Products
installation. Fewer deliveries means a reduction in congestion
on already busy hospital roads, helping to free them up
for emergency vehicles.
Where appropriate, Air Products installations also remove
the reliance on cylinder provision as a back-up, with clusters
of cylinders replaced by one storage tank. The benefits
of such an arrangement include reduced wastage through valve
leakage, the elimination of cylinder manual handling, and
better management of space coupled with aesthetic advantages.
Notes to editor:
Air Products-Medical Group is part of Air Products and Chemicals,
Inc. (www.airproducts.com), a multinational gases group
with annual revenues of more than $5.5 billion. The company
operates in over 30 countries and has over 17,500 employees.
In Europe, Air Products operates in 14 countries and has
revenues of over $1.5 billion. Based on many years' experience
of supplying the European medical gases market, Air Products-Medical
Group is currently introducing new ideas, technologies and
service standards to the UK medical market.
Questions or comments about this news release may be directed
to George
Noon.
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