You probably already know why food waste has become a major “whoa” for most hospitals. Research shows discarded food items and ingredients wasted during preparation can account for as much as 15% of the total waste generated by hospitals. And while there are several important steps you can take to limit the problem, composting can flip the script altogether, turning a huge negative into a positive. Let’s look first at some ways to minimize the problem, and then zero in on what gives composting such incredible “wow” appeal.
Limiting the “whoa”
So how doable is all this? Is it even possible to make a meaningful dent in a hospital’s overall food waste volume? Absolutely. And it often starts by asking some pointed questions regarding menu planning and meal preparation.
- Has foodservice management software been purchased that can help monitor ingredient use and ensure hospitals purchase no more (or less) than what’s needed?
- Has on-demand dining been implemented throughout the facility to help keep unwanted food from becoming tomorrow’s waste?
- Could common ingredients be used across multiple menu items?
- Has staff been trained on ways to minimize waste during preparation, such as the best way to cut vegetables?
Creating a “wow”
Of course, even the most robust efforts at limiting food waste are merely minimizing a negative. Let’s look at how two hospitals use composting to flip the food waste script.
LifeBridge Health in Baltimore, Maryland uses their composted food waste for campus beautification projects and has identified five steps any hospital should consider when putting together a program:
- Identify all locations that will be part of the initiative, such as kitchen, café and coffee shops.
- Find a vendor/hauler to remove the waste and provide collection containers.
- Educate staff on what is compostable matter and how to keep it separated from other waste material.
- Start the process, monitor its success and address any issues.
- Communicate and publicize across the facility.
In Ames, Iowa, Mary Greeley Medical Center has implemented this process to perfection, using special containers to collect all uneaten food from the cafeteria’s conveyor belt and patient trays. The containers then go to a vendor’s facility where that food waste gets turned into compost over time. How cool is that?
What else works.
Sometimes, food gets wasted because the equipment used to prepare it simply wasn’t up to the challenge, either because it required too much operator attention or didn’t have features that could minimize the risk of undercooking or burning the food. It doesn’t need to be this way. At Hatco, we have a great line of products that are ready to support, not thwart, your efforts to reduce food waste. Check them out today!
