Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital’s sustainability warriors have been out in force with their latest initiative, the Food Waste Recycling Program. In its first month, the program has saved more than six tonnes of kitchen scraps from going into landfill.

RBWH Dietician Jessica Kinneally and Metro North Manager for Environment and Waste Cathy Hollis with the new organic waste bins.

Recognising that the hospital’s organic waste could be put to good use, food scraps from RBWH’s main kitchen are now being collected and regularly sent to a commercial composting company.

The new program was born from the RBWH Nutrition and Food Services team in collaboration with Metro North Waste Management.

Metro North Manager for Environment and Waste Cathy Hollis said knowing that there were alternatives to capturing and diverting organic waste from landfill made the program a ‘no-brainer’.

“We’re incredibly proud of the success of the program so far and the overwhelmingly positive response from Food Services and Waste Management staff,” she said.

“The plan for the program is to start with the main kitchen and then expand to other areas of the hospital, eventually adding food waste and coffee grounds from retail areas too.

“It’s set to save more than 70 tonnes of food waste from going into landfill per year, based on composting waste from the main kitchen at the same rate as the first week. With the program being rolled out in other areas, this number is likely to be significantly higher.”

Well done to all involved with the program!