University of North Carolina, Greensboro
Tier2-6: Post-Consumer Food Waste Composting

In February of 2011, UNCG Dining Services hired Brooks Contractor Composting Service (http://www.brookscontractor.com/) to haul the post- consumer food waste from its Dining Hall and Catering Operations. All compostable materials are collected at the "back of the house" by UNCG Dining Services staff. UNCG's Catering Services group provides additional food and material waste pickups at events utilizing compostable service ware and takes these wastes to the specially marked compost dumpster at the Dining Hall. All disposable service products used for catering functions are 100% compostable. These include paper fiber plates, starch cold cups, paper hot cups, starch knife, fork, spoon, wood stirrers, paper napkins & starch straws. Since the inception of the program, Brooks has hauled an average of 8 tons of compostable waste per month. The food waste and compostable service ware are placed into the industrial-scale windrow compost operation that Brooks has established. Their operation allows disposable compostable wastes (PLA plastic utensils, paper plates, paper cups) to be fully utilized. Food scraps and disposables from catering are added to the main dining compost stream which is picked up by the commercial compost hauler.

Information provided by K. Deans, Executive Director of UNCG Dining Services, and B. Kunka, Manager of the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling.