United States
Environmental Protection
Agency
Solid Waste and
Emergency Response
(5306W)
EPA-530-F-98-023f
September 1998
www.epa.gov/osw
Middlebury College
Middlebury, Vermont
75% Recovery of Food Discards
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Students and employees at Middlebury College collected
approximately 288 tons of food discards for on-campus composting in 1996.
This represented approximately 75% of the college's total food discards. As a result of its
composting program, Middlebury avoids approximately $ 137per ton in landfill hauling and
tipping fees. In 1996, this led to a net savings of over $27,000.
Program Description
After a waste assessment found food to be
the heaviest component of the waste
stream, Facilities Management staff at
Middlebury College (student population
2,000) decided to implement a pilot
composting program to divert food discards.
The pilot was successful and the composting
program now involves all five dining halls,
three kitchens,and three snack bars.
Although Middlebury began its program
by sending material off-site for
composting, in 1996, due to price
changes in both trash and composting
fees, the College began composting on-
site instead.
The kitchens prepare between 3,400
and 3,600 meals per day year-round. In
each dining hall, dish room staff put
food preparation discards as well as
post-consumer leftovers into small
"food only"trash cans on wheels.
College Dining Services and General
Services staff empty these, along
with waxed cardboard and pre- and
post-consumer discards collected
from the snack bars into a
compactor outside one of the
kitchens. Staff empty the
compactor twice a month and
take discards to on-site aerated
static piles for composting. The College is
seeking funding for an in-vessel composter.
Middlebury has also had success
collecting food discards at special events. In
the spring of 1997, about 4,000 people
attended a graduation picnic at which food
discards were collected and later composted.
Picnickers brought all their discards to tables
where Facilities Management staff sorted it
into "recycle,""compost," and "trash" barrels.
The recovery rate at the dining halls and
kitchens is very high. It is lower at snack bars
where customers bus and separate their own
discards, and where many customers buy food
to go.
To help avoid contamination of
compostable organics, Facilities Management
staff notify dining services managers when
contaminants such as plastic wrappings, metal
wire from wooden crates, and metal rings
from ice cream containers are found among
the food discards. Managers are responsible
for keeping food discard containers relatively
Contact:
Environmental Coordinator
Service Building
Middlebury College
Middlebury,VT 05753
(802) 443-5043
fax: (802) 443-5753
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contaminant free. The program does
accept a bit of contamination, as
compost is screened at the end. When
staff screen compost, they rent a
machine with a rotating mesh barrel.
The mesh lets small soil particles
through and captures larger
contaminants.
The College used to have two
compactor containers. Due to odor
problems, however, one compactor was
removed and one of the satellite sites
stopped separating out compostables.
To mitigate odor from the remaining
compactor container, the College
installed a filter. In summer 1997 staff
painted it white so that it would not
absorb as much heat, thereby cutting
down on organic processes until the
material is transported
to the compost site.
This reduced odor. In
a continuing effort to
lessen the odor
problem, Facilities
Management staff are working
to develop a system for daily collection
from the compactor container. This,
they believe, will completely eliminate
odor problems.
Costs/Benefits
iddlebury College
composts an average
of 24 tons of food
discards per month. In
1996, the cost per ton
for composting,
including tipping fees,
trucking, labor, fuel,
and supplies was $42.
For recycling it was
$145;fortrash,$137. Asa
result of its high food recovery rate,
Middlebury realized net savings of
$27,000.
Tips for Replication
• Educate staff on how to compost
and why.
• Keep people involved in the
program with an ongoing dialogue
between the Environmental
Coordinator and food service
employees.
• Commit to solving problems rather
than saying "forget it" when problems
arise. Keep trying, even if the program
is not perfect at first. Let problems
serve as catalysts for improvement.
Program Summary, 1996
Sector College
Average number of meals prepared 3,400-3,600 meals per year total in three
kitchens
1993 off-site composting; 1996 on-site
0
On-site windrow composting
Kitchen scraps, pre- and post-consumer
food discards
Yes
Start date
Dedicated Employees*
Method
Materials collected
Part of comprehensive waste
reduction program?
Total waste generated (TPY)
Food discards generated
RESULTS:
Food discards recovered (TPY)
Food discards recovered (%)
Total waste recovered (TPY)
Total waste recovered (%)
1,133 tons
384 tons (estimated)
288 tons
75% (estimated,)
725 tons
64%
COSTS:
Average composting costs $42 per ton
Average avoided landfill hauling $1 37 per ton
and tipping fees
Net savings $95 per ton
* A dedicated employee is one whose primary responsibility is working with the food discard program.
TPY = tons per year
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