The South Bruce Grey Health Centre is stepping up its waste diversion program.
Kitchen waste from each of the hospital’s four sites is now being composted.
That means things like entree containers, dirty napkins, paper towels, coffee grinds and filters and tea bags are all composted.
Manager of Laundry and Housekeeping, Carol Clark, says this combined with their mixed-stream recycling program will divert 85 per cent of the waste generated in their kitchens from landfills.
Clark says in the past, housekeeping staff didn’t have time to scrape all leftover food out of entree containers to put them in the recycling — so this will help divert even more garbage.
The organic waste is being collected by Waste Management, which will transport it to All Treat Farms.
Clark says the farm will convert the waste into rich black soil that can be used for gardening and agriculture.
Clark says the hospital will also see a cost savings in the long-run.
She says their pick-up service has improved, and costs have stabilized.
Clark says it is also saving countless hours a week in housekeeping, because staff don’t have to spend time sorting the garbage.
Clark says the hospital is making every move it can to be environmentally friendly.
