Farm to school compost

1. Composting in a School
Setting
Joe Van Rossum
UW-Extension
joseph.vanrossum@ces.uwex.edu

2. Why Compost
A hands on learning tool
To manage a Waste Stream
To return nutrients to the soil

3. School Waste Management
 Solid Waste
 Identify what is in the waste stream
 Optimize recycling for traditional
Materials
 Moving on to composting
 School Chemical Management
 Lab chemicals
 Facility maintenance supplies
 Green & Healthy Schools Program
 Adjust waste collection to match
generation

4. Lest we forget
Waste Reduction
 Food Donation
 Which menu items produce the most waste?

5. The School Compost Challenge
 Involve the right people early
1. Nutrition services staff
2. Custodians
3. Administration
4. Teachers
5. Students
6. Parents/Community
 Develop a plan that ALL agree to
 Short term project vs. sustainable program

6. Dedicated Operators Need Only
Apply
 Key to building sustainable programs
 Incorporate functions into position descriptions
 Part of day to day activities
 Involve with project planning

7. The Role of Students
 May be grade level dependant
 Where do they fit in the process
 Collection bin monitors
 Participating observers

8. Health and Safety
 Provide clear information to
 Staff
 Students
 Parents
 Keep bins clean
 Wash hands often
 Use gloves
 Good Housekeeping

9. Where will you collect?
 Kitchen Prep
 Food cooked but not served
 Food served but not eaten
 Faculty lounge/Classroom
 Bagged lunch

10. On-site or Offsite
 Critical decision point
 Set up system at school
 Work with existing compost facility
 Logistics
 Year round service
 What can be accepted for composting

11. On-site Composting
Size Matters
 How much waste are you
composting?
 Recipe development
 Space available
 Method of Composting
 Bin
 Pile
 In-vessel

12. Composting Method
 Static Pile
 Passively aerated pile
 Turned windrow
 In-vessel
 Vermicomposting

13. Location of the Pile
 Access
 Easy for managing
 Away from playground
 All season?

14. Equipment Needs
 Compost Thermometer
 Scale
 Collection bins/pails
 Rubber gloves

15. Create a Plan for Your School
Educational opportunities
exist at all steps

16. Plan Components
 Description of activities
 Collection
 Pile building
 Pile maintenance
 Other
 Define who is responsible
 Site layout drawing
 Monitoring
 Evaluation
 Other as appropriate

17. Resources
 SHWEC factsheet
 CT school manual
 Worms Eat My Garbage - Mary Appelhof
 Cornell Health & Safety document
 Joe Van Rossum
 UW-Extension Recycling Specialist
 joseph.vanrossum@ces.uwex.edu