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Beebe Medical Center Introduces Biodegradable Knives, Forks, Spoons, Cups and Containers to Employees and Patients

08/28/09

"Beebe Medical Center, with a focus on being a better steward of the environment, has begun using Tater Ware," Earth Cup," and Greenware® product lines of biodegradable, food-service containers and utensils. These products, made from plants, are approved by the Federal Department of Agriculture for direct food contact and are alternatives to the traditional plastic products made from petroleum.

The specific environmentally friendly items Beebe Medical Center already has integrated into its restaurants and patient rooms include: disposable knives, forks and spoons; two sizes of plates; and cups for hot and cold drinks, as well as and straws. They are found in both of Beebe Medical Center's restaurants at the main campus in Lewes, as well as on the food trays served to hospital patients.

We are continually looking at ways in which we can be better stewards of our natural resources, says Jeffrey M. Fried, President and CEO of Beebe Medical Center, Not just within our walls, but wherever we can have a positive influence in Sussex County.

For years, Beebe Medical Center has looked for ways to decrease its impact on the environment. It recycles several products including aluminum cans, plastic bottles, batteries and cardboard to decrease the amount of waste that goes to landfills.

This year, leadership began to focus on ways to replace the familiar white foamed' plastic commonly known as Styrofoam. Studies have shown Styrofoam does not break down when buried in a landfill or discarded in an open space. It is difficult to recycle because of cost and lack of market demand for the recycled product. Its familiar tiny white bubble remnants sprinkle the dunes in Cape Henlopen State Park and litter grasses along county roads.

We currently use 289,000 plastic foam cups each year at Beebe Medical Center and these cups go directly into landfills in Sussex County where they will remain for potentially hundreds of years, said Mr. Fried. Styrofoam has become a serious problem for our environment due to the amount of these products found in our landfills. It litters our natural habitats where it is not only unsightly but where it is also a potential health hazard for birds, fish, and other small animals.

The manufacturing of these plastic foam products also has brought about health concerns for workers exposed to carcinogens, as well as general concerns for the deterioration of our air quality in general. Some U.S. cities and counties have banned them, and there are numerous other communities along our nation's coast and natural waterways who are looking to do the same thing.

After researching a variety of products, Beebe Medical Center's Nutritional Services and Purchasing departments this summer began ordering the Tater Ware" knives, forks, spoons and some plates. Tater Ware,: manufactured by Biodegradable Food Service, LLC, of Bend, Oregon, is made out of potato starch that is guaranteed not to have been genetically altered. It also has been approved by the Federal Department of Agriculture to be used for serving food, and is safe for the freezer and the microwave.

Beebe Medical Center also has introduced cups by Earth Cup" for hot drinks, which are taking the place of the white Styrofoam cups. Earth Cup" also made by the Oregon-based Biodegradable Food Service, LLC, are made of paper, reinforced with recycled paper, and lined with a natural coating made from sugar cane and cornstarch.

For serving cold drinks, Beebe Medical Center is using Greenware® cups and straws, which are made out of NatureWorks® biopolymer, a polylactic acid (PLA) resin derived entirely from plants. Fabri-Kal Corp of Kalamazoo, Michigan, makes this product, which is as clear as plastic and durable as well.

These are good products, says Kathi Fryling, Director of Nutritional Services at Beebe Medical Center. They have received a positive response from both patients and staff. And, we have found them to be competitively priced.

Mrs. Fryling said that the products are being integrated in with many of the container and utensil products that Beebe Medical Center uses, and are replacing some existing items when they need to be reordered. She is continually looking at different products to see which environmentally friendly ones she can obtain.

Beebe Medical Center is definitely one of the leaders in Delaware when it comes to the use of eco-friendly products, said Max Wicks, President of Research and Development of Delaware Energy Solutions, a company marketing these products in Delaware.

Caption: Beebe team member Gerri Davis, who works in Nutritional Services, pours freshly made ice tea in the clear Greenware® biodegradable glass, which is made out of NatureWorks® biopolymer, a polylactic acid (PLA) resin derived entirely from plants. Fabri-Kal Corp of Kalamazoo, Michigan, makes this product, which is as clear as plastic and durable as well.


Beebe Medical Center is a not-for-profit community medical center with a charitable mission to encourage healthy living, prevent illness, and restore optimal health with the people residing, working, or visiting in the communities we serve. For more information, please visit us online at www.beebemed.org

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