Waste Management & Source Reduction

Goal Update

System-Wide Baseline (2020): 17.5%

Current (Q1 2024): 16.5%

Goal: 50%

Diversion rate is the percentage of materials not going to the landfill

As of February 2025, you might notice a change to the 2020 waste baseline. The decision to adjust the baseline was made based on a comprehensive review of the initial data and the assumptions that were used to create the original 2020 baseline. The updated baseline is expected to offer a more accurate and actionable benchmark for tracking progress in waste reduction efforts. This change coincides with improvements to our ongoing tracking methodology, which now includes a more specific data provided by waste management vendors and the results of waste audits completed by clinics. These enhanced data collection practices will provide greater visibility into waste streams and support more targeted reduction strategies.

Recent Successes

Expanded Recycling

Recycling streams have been extended to most clinics across the system and Methodist Fremont Health. Sustainability Ambassador Leadership Teams (SALTs) have worked to right size recycling bin locations, dock storage capacity, and pickup frequency. To learn more about what’s recyclable, visit the Sustainability page on the intranet.

Composting

Methodist continues to explore ways to expand access to composting across affiliate locations and within operations. The current list of locations with compost available in select areas includes: Nebraska Methodist Hospital, Corporate (825 Building), Nebraska Methodist College, and Methodist Women’s Health. Due to the out-of-range location of Methodist Jennie Edmundson for the vendor and the limited accessibility of the dock at Methodist Fremont Health, it has not been possible to expand composting to these locations yet. However, Methodist is continuing to explore options to expand composting to the remaining facilities, and this list may expand in the future.

Centralized Trash Collection

Methodist is committed to improving diversion rates and has shifted to having all waste streams together in central locations. This practice ensures that all employees have easy access to all available waste streams and are not accidentally mis-sorting their waste because they only have access to one waste stream at their desk. Additionally, this centralized structure drastically reduces the amount of waste coming from plastic liners in personal bins, and streamlines the pickup process.

Education & Outreach

All employees and visitors have a role to play in achieving our diversion rate goal. Each hospital location along with corporate has a Sustainability Ambassador Leadership Team (SALT) set up to support and expand education opportunities around best practices for sustainability at Methodist for its employees and visitors. Continued education and outreach is critical to improving waste diversion.

Nebraska Methodist College

NMC received a grant from the Nebraska Recycling Council in 2020 to purchase color-coded bins for recycling, landfill, and compost. Staff created activities and materials to educate students and staff about how to properly sort their items, including a video shown on community monitors, a sorting game for cafeteria-goers, effective signage, and email campaigns.

825 Waste Audit

Volunteers at 825 completed a visual waste audit of waste bins located in or near cafeterias over a 2-week period. The audit aimed to identify which items were commonly being missorted and locations for new or expanded waste bins. The results of the audit are being used by the Sustainability Ambassador Leadership Teams (SALTs) to improve signage and waste education.

*Hover over the pie graph for more information. Wedges in the pie graph may not necessarily equal current diversion rate due to rounding. Composting does not show up on the graph as it represents less than 1% of the overall diversion rate.

Upcoming Efforts

Recycling & Composting Expansion

We will continually evaluate our waste management systems to ensure they are effectively increasing our diversion rate. Where possible and practical, we will continue to expand recycling and composting services.