| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.27 |
| Liaison | Jesse Russell |
| Submission Date | Dec. 30, 2024 |
Canadore College
OP-8: Food Recovery
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
8.1 Food recovery program
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s surplus food donation program:
Do the institution’s dining services divert pre-consumer food waste from disposal for processing and use as animal feed, compost, and/or biofuel?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s pre-consumer food waste diversion program:
The Lomi project at Canadore College reduces food waste by turning organic scraps into nutrient-rich compost using advanced Lomi composters. Placed across campus, these devices process waste quickly, with the resulting compost used to enrich community gardens and indoor growing units. This initiative supports the college’s sustainable food systems, diverts waste from landfills, and engages students and staff in hands-on sustainability efforts. 10 lomi's have been placed at various areas within the college, accessible to both staff and students.
The HARP CX1 biodigester at Canadore College processes up to 1,000 liters of organic waste per week, including food scraps from all campus food service providers and the School of Culinary Arts. It converts this waste into biogas and a nutrient-rich soil enhancer, which supports community gardens and growing units. This project boosts sustainability, reduces landfill waste, and provides valuable learning experiences for students and staff.
Do the institution’s dining services divert post-consumer food waste from disposal for processing and use as animal feed, compost, and/or biofuel?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s post-consumer food waste diversion program:
The HARP CX1 biodigester at Canadore College processes up to 1,000 liters of organic waste per week, including food scraps from all campus food service providers and the School of Culinary Arts. It converts this waste into biogas and a nutrient-rich soil enhancer, which supports community gardens and growing units. This project boosts sustainability, reduces landfill waste, and provides valuable learning experiences for students and staff. 
Do the institution’s dining services track and assess their food and organic materials management efforts on at least an annual basis to inform ongoing improvements?:
Narrative and/or website URL providing an overview of the institution’s food and organic materials management tracking and assessment initiatives:
Our institution employs a structured methodology to track and assess carbon reduction from organic waste management through the use of Lomi units. Each Lomi unit is assigned to a lead who reports its usage on a monthly basis. This reporting helps in calculating the carbon reduction and assessing the overall impact. The process is reviewed annually, and units are redeployed to optimize their usage and effectiveness.
The carbon reduction calculations are based on a study that indicates each Lomi cycle avoids approximately 0.33 kg of CO2 equivalent (CO2e). Additionally, the system’s effectiveness is highlighted by the removal of about 0.75 kg of waste from landfills per cycle. This data is recorded and tracked using reports from Lomi and is summarized in a spreadsheet for ongoing evaluation and improvement.
To calculate the volume of material processed by the biodigester:
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Measure Weight: The load cells accurately weigh the organic waste.
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Data Reporting: This weight data is sent to the software.
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Calculate Volume: The software uses the weight and material density to calculate the volume.
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Monthly Report: The software generates a monthly report based on the calculated volume.
This process ensures accurate tracking and reporting of the biodigester’s performance.
The Reporting Tool will automatically calculate the following figure:
Optional documentation
Additional documentation for this credit:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.