Kettering General Hospital
LOCATION Kettering, Northamptonshire, United Kingdom
INSTALL DATE July 2017
INDUSTRY Health
Background
Caring for over 371,000 patients per year with a staff of 3,300. Kettering General Hospital has 600 beds and serves around 1500 meals daily. Food waste was previously disposed of in the kitchen area through a maceration system using a considerable amount of water, which was then flushed down the drain and into the sewer system. The drains frequently blocked resulting in increased maintenance activities to unblock them.
The Green Solution
Given the disposal challenges caused by the maceration system, the Hospital's Waste and Sustainability Manager. Robin Packman. deployed a WasteMaster 400 to solve the problem. Rather than dispose of the waste down the drain, the WasteMaster reduced the food waste by 80% resulting in a dry residue that can be re-purposed to produce green electricity or as a fertiliser.
The technology was simple to deploy without the need for water or drainage connections; only a simple three phase power supply and an air vent was required.
Positive Outcomes
A 5O tonne reduction in food waste weight in the first 12 months.
A 35% reduction in food waste disposal costs.
A 70,000-litre annualised reduction in water consumption.
Projected savings of over £45.000 in drainage and sewage cost over the period of the contract.
Remaining residue maintains the calorific / energy value of the organic waste loaded and is then repurposed to produce green electricity and for other beneficial purposes.
The use of the WasteMaster reduces greenhouse gas emissions by greater than 75% when compared to landfill disposal, supporting the hospital's environmental targets.
Environmental and Operational Benefits
Installation requires only a three-phase power supply and an air vent outlet.
The process reduces food waste by up to 80 per cent in less than 24 hours.
One button operation for ease of use.
No requirement for microbes, bacteria, or water for the conversion process.
An improvement in hygiene in the food waste area
Less vermin
A clear understanding of waste management performance via remote management and data gathering for monthly reporting.
"Our staff immediately took to the WasteMaster system. Being able to see that food waste was being turned into something useful has really motivated them. It has been an immediate success, preventing the stress of the drains not working due to the additional waste burden on the drainage system and, as an added bonus, creating something good at the other end."
Sue Landon, Head of Facilities, Kettering GeneraI Hospital, UK