Food Waste Composting
After the introduction of food waste composting at many campus-wide events, departments around the campus have been enthusiastic about having a regular compost bin in the office. From November 2012 to January 2013, the Facilities Management Green Practices delivered food-waste composting bins across the campus. The compost collection sites are now available in many departmental kitchens and lunch rooms for easy access. Below are a few frequently asked questions about these compost stations:How do I know what can be composted?
Each station comes equipped with a poster listing compostable items. In general, any food waste (including meat), pizza boxes, coffee grounds/filters, Nature Works PLA #7 cups, tea bags, lunch room paper bags/napkins/towels or uncoated paper plates can be composted. Certified compostable utensils made from either corn, sugar or potato starch are the only utensils that can be composted. A list of ASTM D6400 or ASTM 6868 certified products are available at:
What do we do when the compost bag is full?
The compost bins are lined with a certified compostable green bag and extra bags are located in your department. If the bag is full, replace it with a fresh bag. Remove it from the bin, tie a knot in it, and set it next to the bin. The custodial staff has been trained to remove compost food-waste on a routine schedule. For any questions or concerns about your departmental food composting program please contact, Barb Kviz; bk11@andrew.cmu.edu or 412-268-7858.