Photo caption: Aileen Duncan (left) and Michelle Dunbar (center) from Stewart Memorial Church pick up surplus, unserved dinners from our Hamilton General Hospital.
Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) is taking a big bite out of greenhouse gas emissions by reducing food waste through efforts that include dehydrating and composting leftovers, offering more diverse meal options, purchasing local produce, and donating food nearing its best-before-dates to charities that tackle food insecurity.
Food purchased for patient meals, and to sell in HHS cafés and cafeterias, is the second-largest source of greenhouse gas emissions at HHS, after natural gas, says Victoria Brzozowski, the hospital's environmental management lead.
While natural gas is the hospital's largest contributor to greenhouse gases, it's important to note that since 2016, HHS has reduced emissions in the energy category, which includes natural gas, by 50 per cent. There's also a great deal of opportunity to further reduce emissions from other areas including food waste, says Brzozowski.
The big picture
HHS was among the first hospitals in the country to conduct a comprehensive greenhouse gas inventory, with 18 categories. It was through this inventory that HHS identified natural gas and food waste as the two largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions, with patient travel to and from hospital sites as the third largest.
“To my knowledge we're only the second health care organization in Canada to have done this type of highly detailed inventory," says Brzozowski. “This is novel work we should be really proud of."
Feeding our community
HHS cares for hospitalized patients at six sites – Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre, Hamilton General Hospital, St. Peter's Hospital, McMaster Children's Hospital, the Satellite Health Facility and West Lincoln Memorial Hospital in Grimsby. While these inpatients receive meals at their bedsides, sites also have cafés and cafeterias that are popular with staff, doctors, visiting family members and patients visiting for appointments.
“On a per calorie basis, for every 1,000 calories we serve, we emit 12 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent, which is comparable to five litres of gasoline," says Brzozowski, adding, “On a yearly basis, our food emissions' impact would equal the amount of electricity used in 10,000 homes."
From pledge to progress
Hungry for improvement, HHS took the Coolfood Pledge in 2023 through Nourish Leadership, a Canadian charity that partners with health-care organizations, communities, and policymakers. The Coolfood Pledge is a global initiative that helps organizations, including hospitals, reduce the climate impact of food they serve. Organizations commit to a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with food by 25 per cent by the year 2030, with HHS using 2023 as its baseline.
As part of the Coolfood Pledge, HHS confidentially reports food purchase amounts by weight each year. This includes all animal-based foods as well as plant proteins which collectively make up 80 to 90 per cent of an organization's food-related emissions, says the Coolfood Pledge website. A special calculator is used to determine the climate impact of food, and the analysis is done by the World Resources Institute, an independent research organization that helps drive change globally in areas like food, land, water, energy, and cities.
HHS receives an annual report showing greenhouse gas emissions by food type, trends year-over-year, and comparison in the form of a benchmark that ranks the hospital's performance against its peers. This information helps HHS plan strategies for reducing food waste.
A recipe for change
Compass Group Canada is the food services provider contracted by HHS to supply meals to hospitalized inpatients. Seventy per cent of food purchased by Compass Group Canada for inpatient meals is sourced in Canada.
While minimizing waste is always a priority for HHS, having additional food in stock is required in order to ensure patients have variety and choice. “We maintain a lower purchased food waste percentage than our benchmark of eight per cent," says Brzozowski.
Surplus, unserved dinners, when close to their best-before-dates, are donated to two local charities through a partnership between HHS, Compass Group Canada and Second Harvest, Canada's largest food rescue organization. Using Second Harvest's food rescue app, HHS nutrition services posts available food in real time, which is then picked up by Mission Services and Stewart Memorial Church, located in downtown Hamilton. “Meals go back into our community, to those in need," says Brzozowski, adding that HHS has been donating food using the Second Harvest app for about one year.
More choice, less waste
Meanwhile, HHS nutrition services is researching ways to better understand barriers to nutrition when it comes to feeding hospital inpatients.
“We could have the most amazing, environmentally focused, low-carbon food options, but this won't mean anything if patients aren't eating the meals," says Anita Lamond, director of corporate services at HHS, adding that uneaten food means increased waste.
Steps towards making improvements include increased menu variety, with more culturally appropriate food options, and more plant-based, environmentally friendly choices.
“We can deliver and serve better, more nourishing food that supports patients' healing journey while also advancing our environmental goals," says Lamond.
Shrinking waste
HHS has been using commercial-grade food waste dehydrators for about 10 years. These machines combine heat, airflow, and mechanical agitation to transform food waste left on patient trays into a dry, lightweight material, dehydrating up to 80 per cent of the waste's weight and volume.
This results in more compact waste and fewer pick-up trips for waste trucks, which in turn means HHS is using less fossil fuels to get rid of food waste.
HHS cafés and cafeterias pitch in
HHS cafés and cafeterias are also doing their part. These food services areas are run by the Hamilton Health Sciences Volunteer Association (HHSVA), a non-profit organization that operates hospital cafés, cafeterias, gift shops and parking. All profits generated are donated by the HHSVA to enhance patient care across HHS hospitals and provide educational opportunities for staff.
The HHSVA donates sandwiches, salads, baked goods and snack cups from hospital cafés and cafeterias that are nearing their best-before-dates. Donations are arranged directly with charities, rather than through a food rescue app. Cafeterias and cafés at HHS Hamilton General Hospital and HHS Juravinski Hospital and Cancer Centre give to Mission Services, while HHS McMaster Children's Hospital donates to Ronald McDonald Family Rooms. These rooms, on the hospital's third floor, are quiet, private spaces where family members of hospitalized children can recharge, rest and grab a bite to eat.
Since last fall, the HHSVA has donated 7,000 food items to Ronald McDonald Family Rooms and 3,000 items to Mission Services.
“We are so proud to do our part by keeping unsold food out of the waste stream and supporting efforts to reduce food insecurities in our community," says Anne Collins, director of retail operations for the HHSVA.
Buying local
The HHSVA offers a selection of plant-based meal options at their cafés and cafeterias, including multicultural options, which helps reduce waste since a variety of appealing, culturally appropriate food has a better chance of being eaten.
Fresh produce is purchased from a local farm in Welland, with 13 per cent, or 2.5 metric tonnes, bought last year. They also partner with an Oakville coffee roaster. Local food procurement cuts down on transportation emissions, while also supporting local businesses and encouraging seasonal eating.
Such fresh thinking -- from offering a wider variety of food choices including more plant-based options, to buying local and donating meals and snacks – is driving HHS towards its target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions associated with food by 25 percent over the next five years.
“All of this work is contributing to our recipe for success," says Brzozowski.