Organics recovery: Logistics

MassRecycle R3 Conference, 3-30-15Quincy, MARob Gogan

Harvard Campus ServicesRob_gogan@harvard.edu

Before Composting there are the first two “R’s”…

Freshman Dining mug tree

Eco-REP’s Clean Plate Club

Donating servable food to Food for Free

Signage and Specifications: Front-of-the-house

Norseman and several other compost receptacles also work well but on campus we specify Busch KC2000’s.

Special Event Recycling

With proper planning, Zero Waste is possible! Successful events at President Faust’s Inauguration, Commencements since 2008, and many functions and receptions

Compost option at every waste station

Jyotin Rana at Harvard Divinity School Rob Gogan at Yerba Buena Gardens,

San Francisco

Paul Kelly stands beside new Kennedy School waste stations. Because of aggressive composting, HKS trash in March 2014 was

33% lower than trash in March 2013.

Waste Audits show over 25% organics in residential & office waste stream

Dorm room composting

--Let students opt out if they want--Be prepared for flies in hot weather--Vinegar wash helpful for odor control--Bags better than barrels (Clearstream Compost barrels) to reduce washing labor

REP Coordinator Kelsey Grab with student helper assembling Busch KC-2000 two gallon compost buckets

Signage and specifications: Back-of-the-house

Kennedy School rodent-proof split compactor for trash and compost installed

by Republic Services

Mike Pelletier’s OCC dam field expedient to prevent swill spillage. Rear-load compactor better than rendering truck for low ceilings at loading docks

BioGreen 360 working as advertised… making nuggets of beautiful dog food “kibbles” which composted well

…but too many gloves, film plastic bags, rubber bands and other contaminants plugged it up. Caterer could not keep organics stream clean enough.

Somat food pulpers

• Used in nearly all kitchens• Produce excellent compost stock• Generate noise and vibration• Generate odors in summer• Chute to outdoor receptacle can freeze up• Pulp may need to be raked to prevent

“pyramid plugs” in toters or dumpsters

Somat pulper installations

A river of food scrap slurry coming out of the dishroom and food prep areas…

…gets spun into “cooked rice” for composting. Note green bag of compostable serviceware loaded in from front-of-the-house compost collection sites.

Contractor dumps mixed food, yard waste & animal bedding at landscape nursery for composting—a savings of $7/ton over disposal. Finished compost will enhance soils for agriculture and horticulture. Composting also reduces water waste 87%, prevents sewage backups from clogged pipes, and reduces BOD at sewage treatment plant. Photo credit: Justin Adams, MIT

Somat food pulp falls into rear-load 2-yarder.

Somat food pulper receives piped food/water slurry from multiple locations in the building to spin 50% dry (like cooked rice).

Smaller kitchens place food waste into lined 30-gallon barrels.

Composting Food Scraps

Harvard recovered 1,328 tons of food waste for composting into topsoil in FY2014.