General News
2 December, 2019
South West Healthcare’s hospital footprint reduced
THE collection of food and garden waste at the Camperdown hospital and Lismore community centre has contributed to a notable increase in the South West Healthcare’s final recycling totals for the 2018/19 year.
THE collection of food and garden waste at the Camperdown hospital and Lismore community centre has contributed to a notable increase in the South West Healthcare’s final recycling totals for the 2018/19 year.
Both health campuses adopted the Corangamite Shire’s Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) collection system and used the matter for on-site composting and use in their gardens.
SWH environmental sustainability officer Elvira Hewson said the system reduced the amount of organic materials going into landfill or down incinerators.
“FOGO provides a fantastic means of diverting a great resource from landfill and with local compositing facilities, the entire recycling pathway is very transparent,” she said.
“By diverting the FOGO to council green waste and on-site compositing we’ve saved a great deal of time and money by not needing to unblock drains and repair the food mulcher.
“We no longer have to purchase compost and the clippings from the large lawns on-site are also composted.”
Ms Hewson said the compost produced was used to condition and improve soil in flower and vegetable garden beds.
SWH Camperdown maintenance services manager Les Harrison said the maintenance and catering teams at the Camperdown hospital were to be congratulated for demonstrating leadership and excellence by working together for mutual benefit and for helping to lower the health service’s environmental impact.