The 130-bed Dartmouth General Hospital, which has run an extensive recycling program for at least 5 years, has been named Nova Scotia's Environmental Institution of the Year. “Everything that can be recycled is recycled,” says Jane Pryor, who oversees the operation of the hospital. It even recycles fryer fat — last year more than half a tonne was sent to a local firm that cleans it for use in animal feed.
The hospital was also praised for reducing waste. Last year it recycled 13 000 kg of cardboard, a 19% reduction from the previous year, while the amount of recycled newspaper declined by 32% and the amount of organic material sent for composting fell by 19%. Pryor thinks the declines reflect, in part, efforts to place more emphasis on environmentally friendly packaging, reusable material and reduced use. — Donalee Moulton, Halifax