The largest campus composting system in the nation is about to get even bigger.
Despite glitches with Ohio University’s composter, officials said the system is getting a major upgrade and should be completely operational by 2012. The expansion includes the addition of a 4-ton expandable in-vessel system, solar panels to power the site, and a solar-thermal water-heating system. The cost of the renovation is $1.5 million.
The current composting program, located at 137 Dairy Lane, has been in place since 2009. It was purchased from Wright Environmental and cost about $400,000. The system is the largest at any university or college in the U.S., according to a presentation by former OU Director of Sustainability Sonia Marcus for the College and University Recycling Coalition.
When working at maximum capacity during the school year, the composter is capable of disposing 50 percent of OU’s total food waste. As of July 2010, OU has composted more than 263 tons of food waste and biodegradable service ware.
The composter turns waste into soil in 14 days, which can be used as fertilizer after curing for an additional 90 days. Soil from the composter is used on OU’s campus.
“It’s a gem, a resource that has put OU on the map,” said Michele Morrone, the director of Environmental Studies.
However, Director of Facilities Management Steve Mack said there have been problems with the composting program.
The biodegradable plates, bowls and cutlery OU purchased from Gordon Food Service and Nature Friendly Products, which were made of sugar-cane fiber and plant starches, are not all breaking down correctly.
To address concerns about the slow decomposition, OU switched to purchasing service ware from BioSelect. The new dishes broke down more quickly, but still not at the expected rate.
“There are no problems with the composter itself,” Mack said. “Not all compostable service ware is created equal. Some of it is breaking down perfectly and some is not. Some of the supposedly compostable service ware we purchased three years ago is still there.”
The purchase of a shredder was initially included in the new expansion to help aid the service-ware breakdown. However, the university will no longer purchase a shredder because of concerns about students’ incorrectly sorting the compostable items from Baker University Center, Shively Court and Central Food Facility, Mack said.
“The shredder would also grind up the non-bioware stuff,” Mack said. “We would rather pull a whole orange juice bottle out than have to dig out glass shards.”
The new expansion will add a second unit to the composter that can handle four times the waste per day.
“It will increase our capacity,” Mack said. “We’re going from 2 tons to 6 tons.”
The system will be able to divert up to 25 percent of OU’s current landfill waste and result in an annual greenhouse-gas emissions reduction of about 1,200 metric tons of carbon dioxide.
The composting program and its new additions contribute to OU’s goal of climate neutrality, as stated in the Presidents Climate Commitment that OU President Roderick McDavis signed in 2007.
“I myself have used (the composting system) as an educational tool,” Morrone said. “I’ve taken students up there on tours. It’s a really good opportunity for students to learn about composting.”
