1. MIRT Medical Industry Waste Reduction Roundtable Dave Waddell Local HW Mgmt Program- King County dave.waddell@metrokc.gov

2. MIRT’s Purpose Bring together medical professionals Facilitate exchange of environmental ideas Prevent and reduce waste Bridge regulator/medical facilities barrier Conduct seminars and facilitate round tables Research info needed by hospitals

3. MIRT Begins - 1999 Original focus: Solid Waste Started meeting in 1999 Had 9 roundtable meetings Developed e-mail list of interested contacts Decided seminar format would be useful

4. MIRT Seminars - 2000 Five seminars in 2000 –Managing Medical Plastics –Managing Chemicals - Pt 1 –Alternative Products –Managing Chemicals - Pt 2 –Green Purchasing Round Table Format 25% of time - networking

5. MIRT Seminars - 2001 Four seminars in 2001 –Energy & Water Mgmt –Building Green Facilities –Mercury Reduction –Managing Chemicals, pt. 3 Half-day, start @ 8:00 Maintain same location Promote discussion

6. MIRT Seminars - 2002 Three seminars in 2002 –Measuring Waste Mgmt –Pharmaceuticals (intro) –Mercury Reduction Trying to spread MIRT Hg Seminars –3 sites across state –Offer to help start MIRT

7. MIRT Seminars - 2003 One done –Cleaners & Disinfectants One planned –Pharmaceuticals (BMPs) Outreach to Veterinarians Link to clinics

8. Why Talk w/ Hospitals & Clinics? Highly educated Orientation: health & safety Clinics are CESQGs Haz waste = Biomedical waste, right? Agreement: EPA & H2E –Mercury elimination –Total waste reduction

9. Coordination: Putting on the Show Reps from Two Hospitals EPA State Dept of Ecology Seattle/King County Hospital Waste Consultant Physician/Consultant Non-profit Insurance Industry Rep

10. Nuts & Bolts $15,000 per year (EPA grant) –Consultant facilitation –Research on specific topics 0.25 FTE –Database of contacts & info –Compile info, send to listserve Seminar prep: All in-kind –Invitations, copies, mailing, snacks & coffee, speaking UW gave great room for free

11. Benefits of Doing This Changes behavior –Real opportunities for change Inexpensive to do Existing agreements to improve environmental practices Well educated industry We can learn from each other Get to find & hear good speakers