Food waste in the healthcare industry comprises about 10 to 15 percent of a hospital’s waste stream, according to Practice Greenhealth.
A new study in the OJIN: The Online Journal of Issues in Nursing analyzed food waste systems in rural northeastern United States hospitals, focusing on interviews with nutrition service experts at seven facilities.
“Environmental health is inextricably linked to societal and individual health,” the study’s authors noted in the conclusion. “As stewards of community health, hospitals have a responsibility to mitigate waste production and the effects of waste production and disposal on the public.”
