So You Want to Build a Composting Program - Amy Lipman, BIDMC
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The document outlines the composting program at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, detailing its sustainability goals, participant concerns, and logistics of waste management. It highlights challenges such as contamination, the need for training staff, and the potential costs involved in composting. The program also emphasizes the importance of employee engagement and the need for ongoing monitoring to ensure its effectiveness.
So You Want to Build a Composting Program - Amy Lipman, BIDMC
- 1. 1 So You Want to Build a Composting Program? May 28, 2014 A teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School
- 2. Introduction to BIDMC Overview of BIDMC and its sustainability program Identify who is in the room An overview of our composting program Q&A Agenda A teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School1
- 3. Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center Harvard teaching hospital 621 beds 190 research labs Level 1 Trauma Center BIDMC’s Green History Began holding an annual sustainability fair 16 years ago Healthy Work/Healthy Home Created a sustainability strategic plan and committee in 2008 Created a full-time sustainability position in 2009 Introductions Our Hospital A teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School3
- 4. BIDMC’S Sustainability Program A teaching hospital of Harvard Medical School2 • Goal 1: Waste Management Reduce, Reuse and Recycle more of our waste • Goal 2: Conserve Natural Resources Energy and water conservation Fuel reduction Meat consumption reduction • Goal 3: Improve measurement and reduction of Environmental Hazards Eliminating hospital products made with hazardous chemicals Finding less toxic substitutes for current toxic chemicals Minimizing the impact of drugs and drug waste • Goal 4: Promote Environmental Awareness & Action • Goal 5: Sustain our Gains
- 5. Who are the Participants? Who is in the room: Who has already started composting? As you think about starting, what are you most worried about? Logistics? Staff buy-in? Cost? Time commitment/resources to get it rolled out? Fear of change, in general? Employee/student buy-in? Pests and smells? Anything else? Who has been wanting to compost for awhile and finds the ban helpful for pushing the issue in their institution? Who has never given composting a second thought and is now worried about the ban? Schools? Biotech? Other?Hospitals?
- 6. Locations Estimated Annual Tonnage Program? Issues Cafeteria Customers 18-20 Capturing 6-9 tons per year. Contamination. Not enough disposable compostable items available to enable a single dump into the compost bucket. Patient Trays/ Kitchen Production (including catering) 140 Capturing about 65-75 tons per year. • Contamination- Detail orientation wasn’t a job requirement for most kitchen staff. • Workload- Separating compostable items adds an additional step while stripping trays or cleaning. Catered events TBD Not Yet Logistics and workload Employees where they work/eat TBD Not Yet Logistics and workload • Would need over 150 small collection sites picked up daily. Yard Waste 5-10 Capturing about 5 tons per year. Securing the dumpster to ensure it isn’t used by the neighbors for trash. Animal Bedding At least 25 Not yet Safety of material, Rodent-safe collection options At an academic medical center, organic materials have at least 6 distinct points of generation. They vary in size and ease of collection. Overview Q: What compost-generating areas of your institution are you hoping to focus on initially?
- 7. Overcoming Obstacles How will the waste be collected? How is waste stored for pickup? Is hospital food waste safe to compost? How do you train your staff? How do you train your community? Logistics Quality Control/Training Safety Compostable bags Dedicated barrels Refrigerated storage unit with dock accessibility Compost is heated high enough to kill patient diseases The same way you train them to do anything new: Let them design the system Set goals and monitor data Cost Does it cost more to compost? Vendor rates are a little less than the trash disposal. Minimum weight requirements could increase price The bags are more expensive Compostable disposables are more expensive. Cost was passed on to the customer Clear signage at the barrels and the tables Barrel-side training Goal: a single dump into the compost bin as possible Q: This is how we solved some of these problems. What are some other ways you are hoping to solve these problems?
- 8. The kitchen is the easiest place to start, particularly if the employees understand the change is required by law. It also has the largest impact. The system runs better if employees design it themselves Compost training needs to be included when new staff arrive Numbers should be continually monitored to ensure program stays effective. Yard waste is easy. In urban areas, the impact is small. Front of the house requires both clear signage and constant in-person education. People understand recycling. Composting confuses them Don’t start until you have all your compostable products stocked. Then minimize product changes. People who really want to compost tend to err on the side of contaminating the bins. Every new employee is a potentially confused composter. New employees arrive weekly Corn based plastics look the same PET. The program is too complicated for simple signage. The motivated will read a clear sign. Lessons Learned Q: Employee training can be time and labor intensive. Who, in your institution, are you hoping will do this work?
- 10. 0 5 10 15 20 25 FY11 Q1 FY11 Q2 FY11 Q3 FY11 Q4 FY12 Q1 FY12 Q2 FY12 Q3 FY12 Q4 FY13 Q1 FY13 Q2 FY13 Q3 Y13 Q4 FY14 Q1 FY14 Q2 TonsofCompost East Campus Cafeteria Composting Added West Campus Cafeteria Composting Added East Campus Tray Composting Added West Campus Tray Composting East Campus Freezer Repair Ongoing programs still require careful ongoing monitoring and troubleshooting Lessons Learned Q: What are some strategies you are hoping to use to ensure sustained participation?