Hospital Food Waste Collection, Chester
Gaining control of food waste in the healthcare environment.
With a strong focus on efficiency and sustainability, the trust continually reviews its operations to identify opportunities to reduce costs and improve environmental performance.
Food waste management was one such area where change could deliver measurable benefits.
The challenge
Historically, ward and kitchen food waste was disposed of through macerators. While practical, this system provided little visibility over how much waste was being generated, what it cost to manage, or its environmental impact.
The lack of reliable data also made it difficult to implement meaningful waste-reduction strategies or track progress over time. In addition, macerators contributed to water usage, drainage demand and energy consumption.
The trust recognised that a more transparent and sustainable solution was needed.
The approach
A move away from macerators to a structured bin-based collection system marked a shift from disposal to resource recovery. Dedicated food waste bins and scheduled collections created a cleaner, more measurable process.
A bin exchange system ensured that collected bins were replaced with sanitised units, maintaining hygiene standards expected in a healthcare setting.
Crucially, the new system made food waste volumes visible for the first time.
We were impressed with ReFood’s innovative approach.
"As an organisation committed to the latest technology and processes, we were impressed with ReFood’s innovative approach to food waste. The new bin swap not only meant cleaner bins and lower food disposal costs, but also allowed us to take steps to reduce food waste across the trust. ReFood’s door-to-door service, reliable staff and responsive account management also ensured the whole process ran like clockwork."
- Craig House, Catering Manager
The outcome and wider influence
With accurate data available, the trust was able to:
- Monitor food waste levels
- Identify where waste was occurring in preparation and service
- Introduce changes to reduce waste at source
- Track environmental performance more effectively
The new approach also delivered operational savings through reduced water usage, lower drainage costs and decreased energy consumption.
The success of this model has attracted interest from other NHS trusts looking to improve both sustainability and cost control. By replacing disposal-led systems with measurable recycling solutions, the trust demonstrated how food waste can be managed more responsibly while delivering operational value.
