Clark Composting: The History Behind the Change
In the fall of 2004, undergraduate student Dominic Pascarelli began working for the University's recycling program, a job which quickly gave him an introduction to many of the processes behind the daily life of every Clark student. One of these processes was the disposal of food waste from the University cafeteria. Dominic was disappointed to find that both pre- and post-consumer food scraps (as well as untouched, leftover food) were deposited into a trash compactor and hauled to a landfill or incinerator. Food decomposing in landfills releases greenhouse gasses and leachate, water that is toxic after percolating through trash. Incineration releases greenhouse gasses and harmful ash. Composting provides an environmentally sound alternative that turns food waste into humus that can be used to improve soil quality. The following is Dominic's account of his involvement with efforts to launch a new food composting program at Clark University.
In the fall of 2005, I met three other students who were concerned about food waste. The four of us collaboratively researched the possibility of composting on campus. In the spring, we used Dr. Duncan Earle's class, Local Action Global Change, as a mechanism for designing a composting program that would satisfy the University's needs. In early April 2006, a number of student supporters helped the four of us conduct a two-day trial composting period in the University dining hall. During the trial we collected and weighed all of the wasted food before it was compacted. In addition to quantitative data, we raised awareness and recorded the reaction of the student body to composting. The positive feedback was encouraging and the majority of students were eager to help with our efforts.
With the newly generated data and support, we continued our research into several methods of composting that the University could pursue. Based on our research, we felt that in-vessel composting would be the most comprehensive option, despite the challenge it would present for our space-constrained urban location. In-vessel composting offered several advantages, including reduction in waste haulage and the availability of compost for University use and use by the South Main neighborhood of Worcester. The challenges involved in in-vessel composting include where to site the compost tubs for minimum odor and hauling distances, and where to cure the compost.
We submitted a proposal to the University administration to adopt in-vessel composting on campus. The proposal was submitted for consideration to the newly established Clark University Environmental Sustainability Task Force, of which I am a member.
After approximately one-and-a-half semesters of further research and deliberation, the Task Force has recommended that the University pursue composting, at least for the near term, a bit differently than outlined in the original proposal. The Task Force concluded that there are outstanding site and logistical issues that would be avoided if the University simply contracted to have its food and other biodegradable waste from the Higgins University Center hauled to a commercial composting facility for off-site processing and sale. The current plan is to implement composting of all biodegradable waste from Higgins University Center as of this fall 2007. We are also discussing whether to make the Higgins University Center a "green zone" where all waste is recycled.