The Composting Project at Ohio University

Ohio University plans to purchase and install a solar-powered in-vessel composting unit in the spring of 2008 capable of managing 2.5-3 tons of organic waste generated by campus eateries per day. Diverting Ohio University’s biodegradable and compostable waste from the Athens-Hocking landfill will allow us to shrink our ecological footprint, reduce our waste management and landscaping costs, decrease pre- and post-consumer food waste, produce a valuable soil amendment, and create new learning and research opportunities for faculty and students. Further, the project will serve as a model for the state, region and nation, as the largest in-vessel composting initiative at any university in the country. Supplying this system with a source of renewable “green” energy through the use of a solar PV array will serve to reinforce the educational and operational value of our composting unit, and decrease the cost of our utilities on site.

This project fits squarely within our overall academic priorities by providing opportunities for learning and research on solid waste management, environmental engineering, sustainable
agriculture and landscaping, and the need for alternative and renewable energy sources. A number of faculty members have expressed an interest in integrating this project into their undergraduate and graduate curricula from the departments of engineering, plant biology, geography and environmental studies. Through the composting initiative, Ohio University will strengthen its position in the state as a hub for progressive campus sustainability and environmental efficiency programs, and will be recognized state-wide for pioneering the use of a large scale in-vessel composting system.

The Ohio U. composting project was launched in January at the opening of the new Baker University Center. Customers and dining services employees at our new Baker University Center are now directed to sort out the biodegradable waste stream from other waste by using bins labeled "Compost". Results from an initial audit of the waste stream at the food court indicate that there is widespread support for the project, as well as a willingness to comply with new sorting procedures.

In the spring of 2007, the project was awarded $300,000 through the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Recycling and Litter Prevention. Ohio University was one of six awardees in the state to receiving funding through this program.

Organic Waste at Ohio U

In an average month, Ohio University produces about 400 tons of landfill waste – up to 14 tons per day – plus 30-33 tons per month of grounds waste. Disposal of landfill waste costs roughly $25,000 per month. The opening of the new Baker University Center on January 2, 2007 has increased the solid waste produced by our campus significantly; the dining areas in this facility alone are serving 2,500 meals per day on average.

Biodegradable waste, like targeted recycled materials, is a valuable resource. Properly managed, it can be converted into
a rich soil amendment which can be used for campus landscaping and local agricultural purposes. Currently, Ohio University has
no established system for capturing organic waste from campus eateries including our public dining areas and our residential dining halls. Food waste ends up either in our dumpsters or in
our sewer system.

A waste audit performed by ODNR in 2005 revealed that as much as 25% of the landfill waste stream on a university campus (roughly 3.5 tons per day in the case of Ohio University) is composed of biodegradable organic waste including meat, fish, dairy products, fruits and vegetables, cooked foods, sewage biosolids, and non-recyclable paper products (napkins, contaminated paper goods, etc.). Based on the experiences of other university campuses that have implemented composting programs, we estimate that we will be able to capture approximately 50% of the biodegradable waste stream for composting. A 2.5-ton per day in-vessel system will process all of the recoverable organic waste generated by the campus eateries at Ohio University, turning waste into soil in 15 days with no odors, no vector or pathogen control issues, and minimal staff involvement.

Further, by diverting up to 1 ton of grounds waste per day into the in-vessel composting system from our grounds waste composting site, we will further reduce costs by reducing pre- and post-consumer food waste and minimizing private screener charges for our landscaping waste.

The feedstock for the in-vessel composting unit will consist of the following:

• Pre and Post-consumer food waste from all dining areas on campus
• Biodegradable service ware from our food court and coffee shop
(including items made from sugar cane, potato starch, and corn plastic or PLA)
• Grounds waste (including leaves, branches, and grass clippings)
• Animal bedding from our research labs
• Sawdust from the carpentry shop

It is difficult to estimate specific tonnage associated with pre- versus post-consumer food waste and biodegradable service ware, as an itemized audit of our organic waste stream has not been performed to date. However, our grounds department estimates that the university generates between 300-400 tons of landscaping waste per year. Animal bedding amounts to approximately 35-40 tons of waste per year. The Carpentry shop produces about 2-4 cubic yards of sawdust every quarter, which accounts for between 2-3 tons per year.

Solar Power for Green Waste

We estimate that our in-vessel composting system will require approximately 1,750 kWh of electric power per month, in addition to any electricity required for the operation of the heating system and lighting for the pole barn. The solar PV array for the composting unit is designed to offset an average of approximately 600 kWh per month (averaged over a 12 month period). Any excess energy produced when the unit is not in operation will be sent back to the utility grid. This type of system offers the benefits of being virtually maintenance free, more efficient and more cost effective than comparably sized photovoltaic systems with batteries.

What Other Colleges Have to Gain

As the largest in-vessel composting unit at any college or university in the nation, the Ohio University compost project will serve as an excellent economic and environmental model for other colleges and universities. Our waste reduction and recycling programs have already been recognized for their success in design and implementation; we seek to expand and complement our reputation for progressive waste management with this proposal project. We are prepared to openly share all of our knowledge and planning documents with any other institutions interested in implementing similar systems through our printed materials as well as our university web sites. Every effort will be made to publicize the progress of our project, on outside resource pages and national newsletters.

For more information, please contact Sonia Marcus, Sustainability Coordinator, marcuss@ohio.edu or 740-593-0460.