Hospital meals served with wooden cutlery

THUNDER BAY — Patients at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre are currently eating their meals using wooden cutlery.

It's because of renovations that are being done in the hospital's dish room, where spoons, knives and forks are normally washed and sanitized.

When the work began in January, the hospital initially replaced metal cutlery with plastic versions.

"With serving over 1,050 meals per day, and working within a small temporary dish room, we are limited to what we are able to wash in this area," a spokesperson said in an email to TBnewswatch.com.

Last month, the hospital's supply chain transitioned from plastic to wooden cutlery, which the spokesperson called an environmentally responsible option.

On request, patients may still request plastic cutlery from the stock that's still on hand.

The hospital continues to use reusable bowls, plates and cups for all hot beverages, the domes that cover meals, and the trays on which meals are delivered to patient rooms.

The dish room is expected to reopen within a month, after which metal cutlery will be returned to service.