1. Plastic in the Ocean: The role of hospitals Erik Floyd Ocean Recovery Alliance International Anaesthesiologists Conference, Hong Kong March 14, 2011

2. Plastic in hospitals Short useful life, long damaging afterlife

3. 90 percent not recycled - Ending up in oceans, countrysides and land fills Eco-system and health threats Non-biodegradable = long lasting Hospitals - a major source of plastic waste Plastic - a growing environmental concern

4. Project Kaisei – plastic in the Pacific

5. Surface trawling Trawled 3,500 miles – found plastic in every sample!

6. Deep Trawling 850 meters down – found plastic in fish

7. Plastic floats Large samples from the middle of the ocean

8. Plastic slowly breaks down Smaller bits get eaten by fish and birds

9. Even small fish are eating plastic Found 87 plastic pieces in a 5 cm lantern fish!

10. Plastic washes up on beaches Beach cleanups treat symptoms, not a cure

11. Targeted at businesses, universities & hospitals Measure plastic footprints Develop plastic management strategies – Less waste - supply chains, packaging & end user – Improved recycling programs – More recycled content – Better designs – New biodegradable materials Disclosure Requests - Backed by socially responsible investors An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure

12. It is not about “our grandchildren” It’s about us……… www.oceanrecov.org www.plasticdisclosure.org