TAKE A BITE OUT OF FOOD WASTE

Transcription

1 TAKE A BITE OUT OF FOOD WASTE Nicole Chardoul, P.E. Principal and Vice President Resource Recycling Systems CleanMed Conference Portland, OR May 2015

2 The soil is the great connector of lives, the source and destination of all It is the healer and restorer and resurrector, by which disease passes into health, age into youth, death into life. Without proper care for it we can have no community, because without proper care for it we can have no life. WENDELL BERRY The Unsettling of America: Culture and Agriculture

3 OVERVIEW Why Focus on Food Waste Source Reduction and Procurement Policy Supporting Zero Waste Planning, Collection and Processing Options Applied Case Studies US Army Institute of Public Health One Hospital Case Study Beaumont Health

4 THE NUMBERS BEHIND YOUR FOOD WASTE Nationally, in 2012, 36 M tons generated, only 5% diverted Food waste represents 25% of US methane emissions 1 ton Methane = 12 tons CO2 Equivalent 1/3 of MSW is food-related waste AGRICULTURE POSTHARVEST PROCESSING DISTRIBUTION CONSUMER 40% - 50% of food produced in us is thrown away throughout the chain before reaching the table, but we waste the most at the consumers stage* 43% *Source: Wasted: How America Is Losing Up to 40 Percent of Its Food from Farm to Fork to Landfill; Author Dana Gunders, Natural Resources Defense Council 5 lbs per day, per person A closed system is a good place to start a food reduction and recovery program Equivalent of $165 Billion Per Year 8% - 18% of hospital waste is food residuals 10% of institutional food purchases become waste In cafeterias, each meal tray generates ½ lb of food waste.

5 WHAT CAN BE DONE? How to Reduce Food Waste? What can be done with Leftover Food Waste? Source Reduction Feed Hungry People Feed Animals Industrial Uses Composting Incineration or Landfill Reduce purchasing volumes and packaging; use reusable foodservice ware Educate on food preservation / expiration dates Donate to a food bank Send residuals to a hog farm Compost or anaerobic digestion Source: *And remember to recycle the packaging!

6 SOURCE REDUCTION OPPORTUNITIES Purchase fresh, locally sourced foods to reduce spoilage and damage Require your vendors to minimize disposable packaging Evaluate kitchen layout and handling practices to reduce waste from trimmings and spillage Allow patients to choose from menu Cook to order; batch cooking (cook in small frequent batches to meet demand) Provide small plate options Safely save usable foods for subsequent meals Use reusable tableware and trays instead of disposables - Minimize waste - Higher costs than styrofoam - Lower costs over time Use bulk dispensers for condiments

7 POLICIES DRIVE PROGRESS Policies can encourage zero waste programs GUIDELINES/INCENTIVE SYSTEM Requirements for take-out containers (reusable, compostable, recyclable) Green Purchasing / Product Bans (EPS) Local Purchasing / 20% by 2020 HHI, GGHC Healthy Food and Beverages Purchasing Cooperatives COMPOSTING INFRASTRUCTURE Year-round compostables collection Local composting facilities Collaboration with farms ZERO WASTE COLLABORATION Sports events Municipal events Public space composting Waste-free school lunches PUBLIC EDUCATION Food waste prevention campaign Home / Onsite food waste processing Food Donation, Good Samaritan Act Farm to Table Healthy Food in Healthcare

8 PLANNING AND COLLABORATION MATERIAL Policies & Regulations Volumes and Sources In-patient versus cafeteria Pre- versus postconsumer Foodservice ware Contamination LOGISTICS AND INFRASTRUCTURE Partnerships & Collaborators Staffing and Safety Space and Technology Collection and Hauling FINANCIAL Capital Costs Operating Costs End Use EDUCATION Reduction and Diversion Staff Training Leadership and Staff Buy-In Contamination and Signage

9 COMPOSTABLE FOODSERVICE WARE Biobased Biodegradable Compostable Products that utilize biological products or renewable domestic agricultural or forestry materials. Products will completely break down and complete microbial assimilation of the fragmented product as a food source by the soil microorganisms All materials will break down (fragmentation) and become part of usable compost (biodegradability) in a safe and timely manner in an industrial compost environment (meets time and temperature requirements) within 180 days Certified Bio-Based ASTM D6866 USDA Certifies Defined & Certified ASTM D6868 and ASTM D6400 Certified by BPI

10 ESTIMATING VOLUMES AND SOURCES EXAMPLE HEALTHCARE FACILITY FOOD WASTE PROJECTIONS Assumption Facility # of Patient Beds High meals per day Cafeteria transactions per day High tonnage (daily) High CY (daily) Participation rate 0.8 Hospital Patient meal waste lbs/bed/day Cafeteria waste lbs/transaction Cafeteria waste lbs w/bioware 0.8 Hospital Hospital Density (lbs/cy) 600 Other Food Waste Assessment Tools:

11 IN-BUILDING INFRASTRUCTURE Pre-Consumer / Food Prep Prep station directly into container, lined or unlined Bins for Post-Consumer Signage Reusable or BPI certified compostable products Reusable Trays / Tray Return Pulpers or Dewaterers Energy-Efficient Dishwashers Source: Resource Recycling Systems Inc. Bronson Hospital, MI Source: Cornell University

12 DOCK UPGRADES FOR COMPOSTING Dock Modifications Dumpsters Compactors Electrical Dock / Railings Containers Cart-swap program Emptied into compactor or dumpster lined with cardboard Cart washing Container rental and maintenance Source: Beaumont Hospital, MI Source: Metro Health Hospital, MI

13 PROCESSING AND SITING OPTIONS Off-site Compost Site Distance from facility Composting technology On-site Composting with Yard Waste in Landscape Yard Available Space Capital and operating costs Hog Farms Collection, Issue with compostable products Space constraints are the primary factor dictating inbuilding and dock containers, and composting method Collaborate with other food waste generators, haulers, farmers, processors

14 COLLECTION + PROCESSING PERFORMANCE Total Economic Cost/(Benefit) Total Environmental Cost/(Benefit) Total Rolled-Up Cost/Benefit (50.00) (100.00) (150.00)

15 CREATE A BUSINESS CASE Develop a business case analysis to consider all options Review capital and operating costs specific to your location and staffing Make the case for leadership and employee buy-in Financials / pay-back Sustainability /diversion goals

16 TRAINING AND OUTREACH Kitchen staff and practices (small plate prep, food donation, waste separation) Cafeteria customers (table tents, bin signage) Operations / housekeeping staff Lined vs. unlined carts Reusables and compostable to-go containers Equipment (disposals, pulpers) Transportation / Dock operations Minimizing odors Alignment with Sustainability Goals Source: Beaumont Hospital, MI Source: Metro Health Hospital, MI

17 SUMMARY OF FOOD WASTE MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES Waste prevention and reduction Managing food waste Saves money and protects our environment Encourages sustainable practices and life styles Improves public health Educates on local, healthy food and healthy soil Encourages other sustainable practices such as recycling, waste reduction, social responsibility Food donation Leftover food can be gathered for food banks that redistribute and serve meals at shelters Feed animals Reduces grain for feed production Supplies food year round when other feed is scarce and where composting is not year-round operation Compost Replenishes valuable nutrients to topsoil Reduces cost to farmers for fertilizers Reduces GHG emissions from landfills 17

18 CLOSING THE LOOP Be a leader in and support the growing trend of zero waste, sustainability and local, healthy food Processing Compost Local Food Production Local, Healthy Food Distribution Collection Food Waste

19 THANK YOU! Nicole Chardoul, P.E. RRS, Principal and Vice President