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Compost

FOOD WASTE COMPOSTING AT YSU!

A waste audit was done here at YSU on April 15, 2005, and it found that 35% of our waste stream consisted of food waste – particularly 312 pounds per day from Christman Dining Hall.

According to the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR), food waste comprises 15% of Ohio’s valuable landfill space. Although the materials will biodegrade in certain conditions, a landfill can restrict the degradation process and allow this material to persist for decades. However, certain food wastes do not ever have to enter into a landfill and can be put back into the earth naturally as compost – a nutrient-rich, soil enhancing material which is the end product of organic decomposition in a controlled environment.

By composting at YSU, almost 10-15 tons of food waste are diverted from the landfill each year. It’s easy to do! Students eating in the dining hall simply place any food scraps in the designated COMPOST bin as they take their trays to the dish room. Staff also empties their trays after serving into the same container, and it is then set out on the dock at night to be emptied by recycling staff in the morning.

BENEFITS OF COMPOSTING:

By using finished compost for landscaping purposes, little or no chemical fertilizers will be necessary. Chemical fertilizers can pollute the local environment by entering into streams as run-off, which can have affects on the surrounding community. Also, valuable landfill space is conserved, since composting diverts materials that otherwise should not enter into landfills. So YSU is protecting water quality and conserving landfill space.

WHAT IS COMPOSTED:

Although not all of the food waste is composted for various reasons (ex. meat, dairy products, and fats), much of the vegetable prep waste, post-consumer plate scrapings, and napkins or absorbent paper products are composted.

METHOD OF COMPOSTING:

YSU uses the Earth Tub, manufactured by Green Mountain Technologies, Inc.. It is an in-vessel composting system and was chosen because it eliminates any odors associated with composting and keeps out vectors such as rodents which is important in an urban environment such as YSU. The Earth Tub has a 3 cubic yard capacity, and receives about 100 lbs of food waste per day from our dining hall. It is be emptied once a month and all materials leaving the vessel are transported to the curing area where it sits for about six months to one year. All finished compost is used by the Grounds Department in landscaping on campus.

FUNDING FOR THE COMPOSTING PROJECT:

The Earth Tub was purchased with money from the Mahoning County Recycling Initiatives grant offered by the Mahoning County Commissioners’ Reuse and Recycling Program. YSU Recycling received $4,200 – the highest amount awarded – to embark on this project. Supplemental financial support for student help (ex. separating compostable materials in the dining hall) is being offered through Support Services, who has been instrumental in supporting this project. Any other expenses will be paid through the Recycling Program’s current funds. Another grant was received in 2007 from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources to help expand YSU’s composting program by constructing a curing area.

LEADING THE WAY:

According to the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and ODNR, YSU is the first University in Ohio to compost food waste. YSU leads the way with this innovative program aimed at reducing food waste generated in Christman Dining Hall, and we hope to set an example for other schools such as Ohio University, Ohio State University, Miami University and so on.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES & COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT:

Local schools and other interested groups can take advantage of this opportunity to learn how composting works by visiting the University. To plan a visit, please contact the YSU Recycling Program.