This is a staggering number from any perspective. But consider these two facts:

1. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, medical waste is considered to be 1% of the TOTAL waste generated in the U.S.;

2. Children in Africa are dying from a lack of medical supplies.

Where does all that medical waste come from? Many health care activities generate toxic or hazardous materials, such as mercury, polyvinal chloride-containing (PVC) supplies and equipment, and laboratory supplies and chemicals. Add to that the supplies discarded due to overproduction, procedural excesses, and regulatory requirements, as well as solid and hazardous waste such as mattresses, formaldehyde, and solvents and you have a huge environmental problem. Minimizing this waste stream is essential from a self-preservation standpoint, if not from a philanthropic perspective.

Dr. Bruce Charash, Founder and Chairman of Doc to Dock, Inc. a not-for-profit corporation, has made his personal commitment to make a difference. Based in Brooklyn, NY, this organization collects unused medical supplies from U.S. hospitals and ships them to hospitals and medical centers in Africa, providing health care workers with basic medical equipment and supplies. An additional benefit is the reduction of medical waste. "I had always felt the world’s issues were too complicated and tremendous for one person to make an impact. The Inaugural meeting of the Clinton Global Initiative in 2005 made the world’s problems seem less overwhelming and paralyzing," said Charash. "You begin to realize that chiseling away even a little bit can make big things happen."

I had the honor of meeting Dr. Charash at a Doc to Dock fundraiser in New York. He spoke about a young boy dying of Malaria in a hospital in Africa. While the hospital had the intravenous medications to treat the child, they lacked the means to deliver them – IV tubing. Doc to Dock delivered IV tubing in the package of supplies shipped to this facility and the young boy was able to receive the medications to survive. The weight of that IV tubing is 2.3 ounces, an overwhelming possibility when you consider that the U.S. throws out 7,000 tons of unused medical supplies every day.

"Nurses are our biggest fans, because more than anyone, they’re acutely aware of what’s being thrown out," said Charash. Participating hospitals receive Doc to Dock recycling bins to set up in operating rooms and relevant suites, in which staff can place clean, sterile, and renewable supplies. When the bins are full, Doc to Dock picks the donations up and delivers them to their warehouses for sorting,
inventory, and distribution. Among the most needed items are unopened sutures, syringes, gloves, tubing, gauze, and oxygen masks. If a hospital is undergoing renovation, Doc to Dock sends trucks to pick up larger supply donations, like EKG machines or hospital beds.

All supplies are sorted by volunteer staff, which includes physicians, nurses, and medical students. Items are posted on an online warehouse, where carefully selected recipient medical centers can choose and order what they need. Doc to Dock also organizes collection drives at medical conventions around the country. Each convention designates, in advance, the specific resource that participants should bring to donate, such as stethoscopes at cardiology conventions and splints and plaster material at orthopedic conventions. Cash donations are also very welcomed. For every dollar donated, the impact is 20 times that amount: $20 of donated money allows Doc to Dock to collect and deliver $400 of vitally needed life-saving equipment. With a budget of $20,000, this organization can ship supplies valued over $400,000. To date, Doc to Dock has delivered supplies to Ghana, Ethiopia, and Benin in West Africa.

Doc to Dock has recently partnered with the United Nations Office of Sport for Peace and Development and the Greater New York Hospital Association. Together, these organizations will work together to maximize the amount of supplies collected, and ensure the highest degree of success in the delivery and accountability of supplies to Africa.

"Before the Clinton Global Initiative, I knew nothing about Africa or how to help a developing country. Previously, the farthest from home I had even thought about was Cancun," Charash joked. "I sort of stumbled through this process, but working with the Initiative, which has toured hospitals all over the country, I learned about the magnitude of waste in this country and decided to commit to doing something about it."