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Towards Sustainable Food Services in Hospitals: Expanding the Concept of ‘Plate Waste’ to ‘Tray Waste’

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  • Nouf Sahal Alharbi

    (Department of Health Sciences, College of Applied Studies and Community Service, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Malak Yahia Qattan

    (Department of Health Sciences, College of Applied Studies and Community Service, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

  • Jawaher Haji Alhaji

    (Department of Health Sciences, College of Applied Studies and Community Service, King Saud University, Riyadh 11451, Saudi Arabia)

Abstract

Early debates on the sustainability of food-plating systems in hospitals have concentrated mostly on plate waste food served, but not eaten. This study aims to address the need for more comprehensive studies on sustainable food services systems by expanding the concept of plate waste, to that of tray waste (organic and inorganic materials), through a case study of a hospital in Saudi Arabia. Tray waste arising at the ward level was audited for three weeks, covering 939 meals. It was found that, on average, each patient threw away 0.41, 0.30, 0.12, and 0.02 kg of food, plastic, paper, and metal, respectively, each day. All this equated to 4831 tons of food, 3535 tons of plastic, 1414 tons of paper, and 235 tons of metal each year at hospitals across Saudi Arabia. As all of this waste ends up in landfills, without any form of recycling, this study proposes the need for a more comprehensive, political approach that unites all food system stakeholders around a shared vision of responsible consumption and sustainable development.

Suggested Citation

  • Nouf Sahal Alharbi & Malak Yahia Qattan & Jawaher Haji Alhaji, 2020. "Towards Sustainable Food Services in Hospitals: Expanding the Concept of ‘Plate Waste’ to ‘Tray Waste’," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(17), pages 1-8, August.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:12:y:2020:i:17:p:6872-:d:403349
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Sonnino, Roberta & McWilliam, Susannah, 2011. "Food waste, catering practices and public procurement: A case study of hospital food systems in Wales," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 823-829.
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    1. Nouf Sahal Alharbi & Jawaher Haji Alhaji & Malak Yahia Qattan, 2021. "Toward Sustainable Environmental Management of Healthcare Waste: A Holistic Perspective," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(9), pages 1-15, May.
    2. Lourdes Paiva & Carla Hernández & Diana Santos & Roncesvalles Garayoa & Laura García & Claudia Urdangarín & Ana Isabel Vitas, 2022. "Hospital Plate Waste Assessment after Modifications in Specific Dishes of Flexible and Inflexible Food Ordering Systems," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(23), pages 1-9, November.
    3. Jing Li & Wei Li & Lei Wang & Baihui Jin, 2021. "Environmental and Cost Impacts of Food Waste in University Canteen from a Life Cycle Perspective," Energies, MDPI, vol. 14(18), pages 1-16, September.

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