Perceptions Surrounding Composting at a Midwestern Children’s Hospital

Abstract

ABSTRACT Institutions such as hospitals and schools waste approximately seven to eleven billion pounds of food annually in the US. Food composting can be utilized to divert food waste from entering landfills. This study explored behaviors and perceptions of staff and management involved in a composting intervention at a local hospital through the Diffusion of Innovation (DOI) theory. The importance of management involvement, organizational and institutional buy-in, proper education and training, and consistent follow-up were discussed. Different dimensions of compatibility, relative advantage, complexity, trialability, and observability of the composting intervention were identified by participants as contributing to the intervention implementation.