University of Alberta
OP-T2-8: PostConsumer Food Waste Composting

NORTH CAMPUS On North Campus, post-consumer composting exists at four locations. Lister Centre dining hall and the Students’ Union building are the main locations. Since Fall 2011 and January 2012, pilot projects are also occurring at the East Campus Village Graduate Residence and the Edmonton Clinic Health Academy (ECHA), respectively. The ECHA pilot project is especially unique and exciting, since it involves a full-service organics collection and recycling program in a building with the capacity for 1500 staff. CAMPUS SAINT-JEAN At Campus Saint-Jean food waste from the residential kitchens and dining halls is sent to their outdoor composting bin for later use in the Campus Saint-Jean Community Garden. AUGUSTANA CAMPUS Augustana Campus took another sustainability step with an in-vessel composting system that was installed in September 2011. The 4’x30’ steel drum, rotated by a single one-horsepower motor, will divert 150 litres of organic waste per day – 50-70 tonnes per year – from the landfill. The goal for the composter initiative is to divert 100 per cent of the organics produced by Augustana Campus. Of the waste produced on campus, 65 per cent is organic – and 80 per cent of that comes from the cafeteria. In the first year, all of the cafeteria waste will be diverted, and in the second year, a program will be in place for the rest of Augustana. The steel drum rotates all day, with its speed based on the quantity and humidity of material. The organic materials are oxygenated, the rotation accelerates the decomposition, and heat is produced as materials decompose. Everything from vegetable peels to table scraps goes in one end. Two weeks later, fine compost pours out the other end. An annual estimate of almost 20 tonnes of compost will be put to use on campus to assist various landscaping projects, eliminating the need for chemical fertilizers, which have not been used on campus for nearly a decade. There are educational opportunities with the in-vessel composter as well. Chemistry students will experiment with ideal carbon-based bulking agents and management students will develop strategies to expand the program.

Additional Responsible Party Information: AUGUSTANA CAMPUS Name: Chris Blades Department: Facilities & Operations Position: Facilities Manager