Two local hospitals are making a difference in the dining room.

Goodall Hospital in Sanford announced last week that it has a new Biogreen 360 unit that takes food waste and creates rich compost for gardens.

The hospital partnered with Casella Waste Systems and Green Waste Stream LLC to install a food digester unit that transforms the leftover food into compost. The Biogreen 360 is capable of handling up to 1,000 pounds of food waste a day, and Goodall Hospital Environmental Services Director Gene Coffin said the hospital and elder care facilities generate about 750 pounds of food waste daily. He said the Biogreen 360 unit turns all that waste into 35 pounds of compost.

Coffin said the hospital has a goal of “total recycling,” and this new program is a huge step in that direction. Food waste can often be composted, but requires sorting and waiting for the natural composting process to take place.

The Biogreen speeds up the process ”“ to just one day.

The microbe formula of the Biogreen unit accelerates the natural decomposition process by maintaining optimal aeration, moisture and temperature and completes a full cycle in 24 hours, according to hospital officials.

This unit will lead to a lot less trash headed for landfills, and could save the hospital money on trash disposal fees. Goodall Hospital is reducing its carbon footprint by creating compost from food waste, and other hospitals and businesses should follow its lead to be “greener” and possibly save funds that are not dedicated to future trash costs.

Up the road at Southern Maine Medical Center, the hospital recently launched a new in-room dining service, allowing patients to order their food the way they would in a hotel. While this may not sound like money or food-saving measure, hospital officials are already seeing less waste, which also means cost savings.

Michael Sabo, director of Hospitality Services at SMMC, said since patients order what they want and only what they want, waste is being “dramatically” reduced.

Traditional hospital dining programs would deliver whatever that day’s meals and snacks were to all patients, unless they had allergies or dietary restrictions, which likely caused a lot of uneaten food to be thrown away. The in-room dining service allows patients to order what they want, when they’re hungry, and they can even get assistance from the hospital’s nutrition department. Patients who call the department are given information about their choices and healthy options on the menu, which Clinical Nutrition Manager Kelly Falone says helps even after patients leave the hospital.

Goodall and SMMC are leading the way in patient services and finding ways to reduce waste and costs, while providing great care to their patients.

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Today’s editorial was written by City Editor Robyn Burnham representing the majority opinion of the Journal Tribune Editorial Board. Questions? Comments? Contact Managing Editor Kristen Schulze Muszynski by calling 282-1535, Ext. 322, or via email at kristenm@journaltribune.com.