Reducing our impact on the planet through partnership
Environmental Services and Food and Nutrition Services teams at St. Joseph’s partner with Kevron Recycling to reduce the amount organic materials sent to landfill.
Celebrating Earth Day on Apr. 22 serves as a conscious reminder of how fragile our planet is and how important it is to protect it. St. Joseph’s Environmental Services and Food and Nutrition Services (FNS) recently partnered with Kevron Recycling to enhance our organics recycling program at Parkwood Institute and Southwest Centre for Forensic Mental Health Care.
With Kevron’s services, FNS staff do not have to separate packaging waste from food waste. Almost all waste items from returned food trays can now be put into the organic bin. Kevron separates the organic items from the packaging items and both are recycled. Previously, St. Joseph’s organics recycling program accepted only food items.
"The partnership with Kevron has significantly simplified the tray cleaning and separation of food and other items for FNS, increased the amount of recycling and reduced the amount of waste going to the landfill site," says Gerard Campbell, Coordinator of Environmental Services at St. Joseph's.
Between January and March 2021, St. Joseph’s has increased the amount of organic material recycled by a remarkable 80 per cent.
When recycled organic material is processed, the methane gases are captured and used to create energy for the Ontario Power Generation grid and the composted material is used to enrich soil.
Gerald add, “The team effort and enthusiasm of staff in making such a positive difference for the environment has been outstanding.”