Composting takes what used to be simply food waste that would go to the landfill or down the drain and turns it into a valuable resource. But it's far from magic. Saying yes to composting quickly leads to more questions.

Every onsite foodservice operation's situation is different — from resources to location to logistics — and developing a strong composting program can take plenty of trial and error experimentation.

Here are some pertinent questions about composting and how a wide sampling of operators was able to address them.

How does composting work?

The short answer is: decomposition. Composting speeds up the decomposition of organic materials. The end result is a rich soil additive that many refer to as “black gold.” Food waste is no longer “wasted,” but is returned to the soil. In short, composting takes food production full circle.

At Kenyon College in Gambier, OH, compost gets its start in the depths of Peirce Hall, the newly renovated Gothic-revival style dining hall in the center of campus.

Kenyon uses both pre- and post-consumer food waste for compost. That means that kitchen scraps as well as leftover food from the tray line are sorted by staff and then routed through a piece of equipment called a pulper-extractor. The mixture that comes out and into bins is 85 percent moisture-free and odorless. The water is then recirculated.

There are multiple pulpers throughout the building and one collection point for the output, which is then taken to an out-of-the-way area on campus near the lower athletic field where one can see static piles in various stages of compost.

The compost sits for seven months, breaking down and building heat as it decomposes under controlled conditions, reaching 140°F in the center of the piles.

THE FULL CIRCLE: Kenyon College Sustainability Director Ed Neal shows compost created from food waste at Peirce Hall (at right, top, food waste coming out of pulper, and at right, below, the compost is used to nourish flower beds on campus).

“When we think it's ready to go, we send it to an independent lab to be tested to make sure it's free of bacteria,” says Ed Neal, sustainability director at Kenyon College, an AVI Foodsystems account.

Having the space on campus for compost piles is ideal, if possible, he adds.

“If you have the land, static piles are a lot better, since you don't have to find someone to haul it away and you don't have that cost,” Neal says, adding that there is a beautification process underway in which flowerbeds and a garden will be planted near the compost piles. The compost is used throughout the campus, which is very beautiful indeed.

Composting has made good financial sense at the college. “Our solid waste was reduced by 12 tons per week,” Neal says. “It saves money, because otherwise, we have to pay for the solid waste disposal.”

The finished compost is dry to the touch, almost sandy in texture. Once a month, the EPA does inspections at Kenyon, and the college has never failed, Neal says. The biggest challenge from Neal's standpoint was getting a permit from the EPA. Kenyon has a Class 2 permit, which means the compost can include meat and dairy products.

This is just one example of a successful composting operation that is paying off. But what if you don't have the space for your own piles? Then you must find a partner to take the food waste away.

What if I don't have the space for compost piles?

About 112 miles north of Kenyon, space is limited on a very different campus at Case Western Reserve University. Where Kenyon is all bucolic expanse, Case Western is a dense urban campus on the east side of Cleveland.

Still, sustainability is a big part of the corporate philosophy of Bon Apetit, a longtime leader in green campuses and the provider of Case's dining services. Another part of Bon Appetit's philosophy is scratch cooking, which provides a lot of material to be composted, says Dave Apthorpe, campus executive chef.

“Since the inception of our program in January through the end of March, at our retail outlet, we have composted an estimated total of 5,000 lbs. and 5,000 lbs. at the café,” Apthorpe says.

Striking a partnership with a company that could take the food waste away to become compost was the key to making a composting program happen.

What is realistic for where I am located?

Location is one of the biggest factors when an institution is determining whether or not composting is feasible.

“It was a challenge to get into composting in the heart of Cleveland,” Apthorpe says. But, with a diligent search, Case found Rosby Resource Recycling in nearby Brooklyn Heights, OH.

Rosby has two divisions: construction demolition debris recycling; and the organic division (composting with permits for yard waste and pre-and post-consumer food waste). The company hauls area food waste in trucks seven days a week, says Ian Rosby.

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