Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd. Welcomes Ontario's 2015 Climate Change Discussion Paper

TORONTO, ONTARIO--(Marketwired - Feb. 12, 2015) - Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd. today welcomed the release of the Ministry of The Environment and Climate Change (MOECC) discussion paper on its approach to transformation to a low-carbon economy including sector specific actions to reduce harmful emissions. Blue-Zone recognized the need to make changes in the hospital sector almost a decade ago and is already successfully helping more than 200 Ontario operating rooms eliminate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.

When hospitals administer anesthetics during surgery, the patient metabolizes less than 5% of the total vapour. The remaining 95% is released into the environment via the operating room air scavenging system. These emissions are potent GHGs with 20-year global warming impacts approximately 3,776 times more harmful than carbon dioxide (CO2).

Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd., has the proprietary and patented technology to capture these anesthetics through their Deltasorb® Anesthetic Collection Service before they are released into the community and harm the environment.

As part of the government's announcement, areas and sectors of the economy that can achieve significant emission reduction were outlined including productivity improvements in transportation, industry, buildings, electricity, agriculture and waste by building on existing climate-critical provincial initiatives. Blue-Zone believes reduced hospital emissions are a key component to improvements from Ontario's buildings referenced in the paper.

Today, Deltasorb® is being used in over 200 operating rooms (roughly 20% of all Ontario hospitals) at progressive institutions such as Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre, University Health Network, Grey-Bruce Health Services, Trillium Health Partners, Peterborough Regional Health Centre, Kingston General Hospital and The Ottawa Hospital.

The pioneering sites have been quick to recognize that the average-sized hospital (i.e. 10 operating rooms) expels the equivalent of 400 annual car emissions of anesthetic waste every year. For all hospitals in Canada, operating room emissions are equivalent to the average annual emissions of 814 000 compact cars or 533 000 sport utility vehicles (http://oee.nrcan.gc.ca/corporate/statistics/neud/dpa/data_e/consumption03/hospitals.cfm?attr=0).

"As an anesthesiologist, I have been pleased to work with Blue-Zone in utilizing this unique, sustainable Canadian invention - a first in the world," said, Dr. Stephen Brown, former Chair, Ontario Medical Association Section on Anesthesiology.

"As a company, Blue-Zone is aligned with the province's goals to reduce greenhouse gases. We built the infrastructure to cover the entire province and we are actively seeking like-minded hospitals and other institutions that are committed to sustainability and environmental stewardship," said Vaughn Goettler, C.E.O. of Blue-Zone.

The Climate Change Discussion Paper will be posted to the Environmental Bill of Rights for a 45 day comment period that will include focused discussions, town hall meetings and stakeholder forums. "Blue-Zone plans to be a contributing stakeholder throughout the consultation process and offer our support and insight toward the transformation to a low-carbon economy," added Goettler.

About Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd.,

Blue-Zone Technologies Ltd., a Canadian company, has the proprietary and globally patented technology to capture operating room emissions through their Deltasorb® Collection Service and to process the captured emissions into medical grade generic anesthetic drugs. The Deltasorb® Collection Service creates monthly revenue from participating hospitals and is currently used in over 200 hospital operating rooms. The generic drugs will be produced and sold to hospitals from Blue-Zone's fully operational plant in Concord, Ontario. http://www.bluezone.ca/about-blue-zone