Solid Food Waste and Recycling

1. Solid Food Waste and Recycling Washington and Jefferson College

2. Andria Pushey Andrew Simpson Aaron Houser Jonathan Ross

3. Procedure and Information Gathering • interviewed Aaron Weaver, Kristina Meshanko, • April Cummins, and Kapua Ah Hee concerning solid • waste production and management at the college • interviewed Jeff Lydic and Mr. Lough concerning • the recycling program on campus

4. Solid Food Waste Questionnaire • How much solid food waste is produced in a day? • What happens to the above mentioned waste? • Is the leftover food disposed of or given away? • How much untouched food is left over on an average day? • Recycling Questionnaire • How much recycling is taken out of the dorms every week? • 2. Who collects the recyclables? • 3. Where are these recyclables taken? • Is there enforcement for the students to participate? • Is there a quota the college is required to meet?

5. Solid Food Waste

6. Aaron Weaver Director of Catering and Special Events • 10% of prepared food goes untouched every day • that food goes to feed employees, feeds parkside • employees, and then the student population • food that has sat out for too long will be thrown away • ~20% of all prepared food is eventually thrown away

7. Kristina Meshanko Catering Student Employee • if food is served very little is wasted • ~25% of buffet style food is left over • this food is reused in the cafeteria or thrown away • ~10% of touched food is wasted when dinner is served

8. April Cummins Retail Supervisor and Marketing Coordinator • usually very little untouched food left over • cannot donate food for fear of liability • untouched food is reused for the next meal • ~144 gallons of solid food waste per day • waste cannot be given to farmers for liability • college is able to donate unopened processed foods Continued on next slide…

9. cafeteria is on a cycle menu • uses production sheets along with formulas for serving

10. Kapua Ah Hee Dining Services Student Employee • ~150 gallons of waste produced on an average day • students produce almost all of that waste • fried foods are always thrown away • some foods are used to make other foods • on an average day there are only 2 trays of food left • foods cannot be given away because of possible liability

11. Recycling

12. Jeff Lydic Director of Physical Plant • recycling program was started a little more than a year ago • the campus has 3 large recycling dumpsters • program was started as the responsible thing to do • recycling education programs have begun • organic recycling is also a priority of the college • mulching mowers fertilize the grass without chemicals • leaves picked up by custodial staff are turned into organic compost • this compost is then distributed to the flower beds on campus Continued on next slide…

13.  glass, cans, and plastics are collected by the Waste Management Co. used newspapers are collected by the Observer Publishing Co.   recycle bins in dorms, office buildings and educational centers

14. Thoughts and Conclusions

15. Solid Food Waste • minimal things can be done with left over food • food can be thrown out, eaten by the faculty, or given away • it seems like a lot of food is thrown out but it could be worse • production sheets make it more efficient • food service workers’ judgment also make it more efficient • there’s still a long way to go for more efficient food services

16. Recycling • recycling has become a huge part of society • the program is just getting off the ground • program needs the help of students and faculty • fiscal restraints cause problems for the college • environmental role model for the community • it’s a group effort and needs everyone’s involvement

17. THE END.