Waste food at Ipswich Hospital turned into green energy
Staff are using a special machine to turn food waste into a compost - which can then be converted into green power
Last updated 16th Jun 2022
A new project at Ipswich Hospital is turning waste food into green energy.
Staff at East Suffolk and North Essex NHS Foundation Trust are using special 'WasteMaster' machines as an alternative to binning food scraps.
The machines take 24 hours to process the waste into a compost like residue, which can then be fed into an anerobic digester to produce power.
Any residue left over can then be used as fertiliser.
In the past year 115 tonnes of food waste has been recycled across the hopsital trust, cutting the greenhouse gases emissions by around 185 tonnes.
Scott Yearling, portering and waste manager at ESNEFT, said:
“This is a really exciting project and means not only are we reducing the amount of food waste we create but we’re saving money and turning rubbish into something that’s reusable."
"There’s a cost to disposing of hospital waste, and previously we had to have several collections, but we only need one collection a week with this system so it’s saving money and carbon emissions too.
“With food waste we know it generates harmful greenhouse gases like methane and carbon dioxide, so to be able to reduce this in the process is a real step forward.”
Katie Young, from Green Eco Technologies - which has provided the 'WasteMaster' machines, said:
“As the WasteMaster does not use high heat, enzymes or water – the residue keeps the original food waste calorific, nutrient and protein values, but in a much more concentrated format."
“The benefit of this is that the calorific value makes the residue perfect for using at a local anaerobic digestion plant – which they then convert to create energy.
"So, the food waste can be repurposed into something useful, which it wouldn’t be if flushed (macerated) into the drain or sent to landfill.
“We’re proud to collaborate and support ESNEFT in their carbon footprint improvement on the journey to net zero.
"The Trust has demonstrated leadership and commitment in their vision for sustainable healthcare with the reduction of emissions from food waste.”