Composting at Smith:
Possibilities
for the Future
EVS 300
Campus Sustainability Project
5-5-04
Katie Marlowe
Smith College
Abstract
This study seeks to investigate the possibilities and impacts of expanding Smith Collegeís
composting program. Currently at risk of being cut due to lack of funding, the program needs to
be economically sustainable as well as ecologically sound to be successful. Through interviews
with campus staff at Smith and other colleges (Middlebury), research on how similar collegesí
programs operate, and surveying Smithís resources, I determined a practical model for the
program to follow. By installing ìpulpersî in all kitchens and incorporating the resulting dry food
waste into our existing ìgreenî compost site, Smith could expand the program to include all
kitchens at a minimal yearly cost. I propose that college apply for a grant from the
Massachusetts Division of Solid Waste to fund the initial investment, as this would be the largest
obstacle to overcome. If Smith follows the lead of similar colleges by creating a sustainable and
productive composting program, it will reduce its waste stream (along with the associated
environmental and economic impacts) and set itself apart as an environmental role model for the
larger community. The compost program could be used for educational purposes within and
beyond Smith, and would increase the environmental awareness of Smith students. Ultimately,
the more visible and respected institutions take steps toward becoming environmentally
sustainable, the greater will be public awareness and demand for society to be ecologically
responsible.
Introduction
The United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that about 11% of
our annual waste stream (before recycling) comes from food (Municipal Solid Waste, 2004).
This amount is about equal to how much plastics we waste and is significant enough to warrant
action to reduce it. In 1999, U.S. landfills received about 25 million tons of food waste (ibid).
While all of this matter is biodegradable, it will decompose much more slowly in a landfill and
could be used more efficiently and productively as a source of nutrients. Composting is an
excellent method of speeding the decomposition process to incorporate the nutrients locked in
food waste into rich soil that is good for many purposes. Composted matter can be used to create
fertilizer, in landscaping and loam fill material, and to reduce erosion. All of the above products
are necessary to colleges and universities. As these institutions create large amounts of food
waste, it follows that they should take advantage of that resource to fill their own needs, rather
than investing in outside sources that are often less environmentally sound.
Food waste that is not composted either goes into the garbage or into garbage disposals,
which flush into the sewage system. Economically, the first option requires institutions to pay
landfill-dumping costs of $75 to well over $100 per ton for this heavy waste. The latter route
often puts excess stress on local water treatment plants, as extra chemicals may be necessary to
properly prepare the nutrient-rich water for deposition. Institutions that put excess stress on
treatment plants are sometimes fined (Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence, April
2003). Therefore most ecologically and economically sound option for food disposal is
composting, where its nutrients are recycled directly back into the earth, often to produce more
food, with no waste.
In considering how to implement a composting program on a college campus, there are
several important factors to consider. First is the campus culture ñ will significant steps need to
be taken to make composting a popular and respected aspect of the college? Second is the level
of support expected from people who will essentially run the program (this may include kitchen
staff, grounds crew, custodians, Physical Plant staff, and student workers). The amount of effort
required for proper education and training of supporting people must be considered. Third are
available resources and limitations, including land, money, staff, and produced food waste.
Forth is what to do with the product ñ will the college compost on campus and use or sell the
material, or pay to dump the waste at an existing site (CCEE, April 2003)?
I sought to understand Smithís composting program as it stands now, and to determine
the feasibility of expanding it to incorporate the whole campus. Further, I wanted to find a way
to make composting economically feasible at Smith in light of our recent budget cuts and the
possibility of the current program being cut due to lack of funding. By presenting programs at
colleges similar to Smith, I hoped to show what is possible at small institutions and to motivate
Smith to become as ecologically responsible as its academic peers.
Methodology
Gathering Background Information
In order to consider the future of Smith composting, I had to understand the current program. To
do this, I interviewed Bob Dombkowski, Head of Grounds at Physical Plant, and Patrick
Diggins, the Area Manager from Residence and Dining Services (RADS) responsible for
overseeing the composting program from within the kitchens. Through them, I learned how the
existing program began, how it works now, and gained some insight as to what issues need to be
considered in mapping how to expand the program.
Researching Other Colleges
To gather ideas for how Smithís program could be expanded, I researched programs at
other colleges. While I researched large universitiesí programs (including the University of
California, Davis and University of Massachusetts, Amherst), I focused on New England liberal
arts colleges of similar size and academic prestige as Smith. By looking at their websites and
online publications, I learned how programs at Middlebury (Middlebury, Vermont), Bates
(Lewiston, Maine), and Williams (Williamstown, Massachusetts) began and operate. I also
conducted an interview (via email) with the composting coordinator at Middlebury College,
Missy Paquette.
Identifying Smithís Resources and LimitATIONS
The next step was to examine Smithís resources and limits (including land, money, staff,
student workers, and equipment) and how much compostable material Smith creates on average.
This information helped me to determine what composting options I saw at work at other schools
would or would not be practical at Smith. Through discussions with Bob Dombkowski and
Patrick Diggins I determined how much land, money, and equipment Smith has to put towards
an expanded composting program, and how many student and staff workers would be available.
To estimate how much pre-consumer food waste Smith creates each academic year, I obtained
compost collection data (which includes the date, number of pails, and weight of each preconsumer food waste pail collected) from each participating house for the fall of 2003 and the
spring of 2004 (this semester) with data through May 8, 2004.
Determining a Practical Program Model for Smith
To determine which method of composting was most feasible for Smith, I compiled
rough cost estimate analysis charts for two options: expanding the program as it is now, and
expanding the program by introducing ìpulpersî to all kitchens (pulpers will be further discussed
in the results). Estimated costs were derived from information Bob Dombkowski and Patrick
Diggins had given me, from documents other collegesí provided about their composting
programs, and from composting product information online.
Results
SMITHíS CURRENT COMPOSTING PROGRAM
A resident-student in the King/Scales kitchen began the composting program at Smith in
the spring or 2002. As a pilot program, one of its goals was to estimate how much pre-consumer
food waste Smith creates per academic year by weighing and recording collected material. Since
then, the program has expanded only minimally, now incorporating four kitchens (King/Scales,
Morrow/Wilson, Comtock/Wilder, and Cutter/Ziskind). The co-op houses on campus (Tenny
and Hopkins) also participate in the program by voluntarily carrying their food waste to
collection sites. Kitchen workers in each participating house collect pre-consumer food waste
(created while preparing food) in 5-gallon lidded pails, provided by RADS. Full buckets are
sealed and placed in an accessible spot for twice-daily pickups (Diggins, personal interview).
Physical Plant employs 10-14 work-study students to cover a total of about 40 hours per week of
work at a rate of $7.20 per hour, coming to a cost of about $10,000 each year. These students
use a small Ford pickup truck (provided by Physical Plant) to collect, weight, and record all food
waste and drive it to the Northampton Smith Vocational and Agricultural High School farm
composting site on Burtís Pitt Road for disposal. The Vocational School requires no dumping
fee at this time, and is within two miles of the Smith campus. Additional yearly costs of the
current program include gasoline and truck maintenance costs for transportation (Dombkowski,
pers. int.).
The Landscaping/Grounds and Botanic Gardens department at Smith collects all of the
brush, leaves, and clippings it gathers throughout the year for composting at the Fort Hill site
(near the Fort Hill preschool, affiliated with the Smith) on Lyman Road. This site is within two
miles of the Smith campus in a residential area. Material created by the grounds crew is mixed
with about 100 yards of manure and bedding from the Smith Equestrian barns. The resulting
150-200 yards of ìgreenî compost generated per year is enough to cover the floor of the Indoor
Track and Tennis facility at Smith with about one foot of material (Dombkowski, pers. int.). Of
this material, the Smith Grounds crew uses about 50 yards a year and the rest is used by
community members (at no cost) or used in larger construction projects on campus as loam fill.
PROGRAMS AT OTHER COLLEGES
Middlebury College (Middlebury, Vermont) has a 350-acre campus, 2,270 students, and
three main dining halls. They currently use a ìPAWSî composting system (Passively Aerated
Windrow System) year-round, collecting both pre- and post-consumer food waste (Paquette,
pers. int.). This system requires little new equipment and labor, as it relies on PVC pipes with
holes in them inserted perpendicular to the compost pile for aeration, rather than on manual
turning. As Middlebury has a large campus, they have space to do on-campus composting and
use their product in landscaping, gardening, and construction projects (ibid).
Williams College (Williamstown, Massachusetts) has a 450-acre main campus, 2,500
outlying acres of land, 2,000 students, and five main dining halls. In 1994, students at the
college started a small-scale program composting in piles, then used available dumpsters as
containers, and eventually established a relationship with a nearby farm that would take their
product. Currently, involved students are campaigning the college to create compost worker
positions to facilitate the project and ultimately to fund either a windrow or in-vessel program
(Miller et al., 2003). In-vessels are closed composting containers that speed the composting
process and seal in odors and liquids.
Bates College (Lewiston, Maine) has a 109-acre campus, 1,700 students, and one main
dining hall. They collect all pre-consumer food waste and paper napkins (233,400 pounds per
year) and transport them to a farm twelve miles away for composting at a cost of $2,000/year.
Food traps in dishwashing sinks collect post-consumer food waste, which is sent to a local pig
farmer (for no profit). The college then buys fertilizer it helped to create from the composting
farm (CCEE, April 2003).
SMITHíS RESOURCES AND LIMITATIONS
It is estimated that Smith would create about 6-8 tons of pre-consumer food waste per
day if all kitchens participated in the program (Dombkowski, per. int.). I find this estimate to be
high, however, based estimates of food waste production given by the University of California at
Davis (UCD), which has a well-established composting program. ìProject Compostî at UCD
estimates that for a dining room serving 1800 meals a day (assuming three meals a day, this
equals serving 600 students), 150-200 pounds of pre-consumer waste will be produced (ASUCD
2003). Using UCDís estimates, Smithís approximately 2,500 students eating on campus each
day would produce about 624 ñ 833 pounds of pre-consumer waste (less than half a ton).
It is difficult to make a conclusive estimate of how much food waste Smith would produce using
the written records of pre-consumer waste collected in each of the four participating kitchens, as
they are rather inconsistent (see Table 1). Using data from all four houses in November 2003, I
estimated that Smith would produce about 23,275 pounds per month (or 775.83 pounds per day).
This could be seen as the best representative estimate, as November had the most number of
recorded days in all houses (see Table 1). Alternatively, an estimate based on data from
King/Scales house alone (which had significantly more recorded data overall and therefore
possibly the most accurate) suggests that Smith would produce about 61,411 pounds of waste per
month (or 2,047 pounds per day), which is much closer to Dombkowskiís estimate. As Smithís
data is clearly not conclusive at the moment, I assume it is safer to rely on UCDís estimates,
despite the difference in institution size and possible differences in kitchen practices.
In terms of available land on which to put a composting site, Smith is limited. The
campus is about 125 acres, most of which is taken up by residence, academic, administrative,
and office buildings. Space outside of kitchens is limited, as Physical Plant has a hard time
fitting in dumpsters, a necessary item, already (Dombkowski, pers. int.). The Fort Hill site
where Smith creates ìgreenî compost is large enough to include additional material, but is in a
residential area where large scale food composting would not be appropriate (unless enclosed by
a building or several large in-vessel composting containers). Economically, Smith is undergoing
substantial budget cuts and so is looking to decrease staff (greatly decreasing the probability that
Physical Plant could hire an additional part-time employee) and cut funding to college programs
(decreasing the likelihood that the college would financially support high start up costs of an
expanded composting program) (see Table 2). Another limiting factor is Smithís high number of
kitchens. There are currently 19 operating kitchens, soon to be cut to eleven. This high number
makes it difficult to coordinate an efficient pick-up schedule.
OPTIONS FOR SMITH
One option for Smith is to expand the composting program as it operates now (see Table 2). I
found this option would require the purchase of a large dump truck with which to collect the
large amounts of food waste produced each day (most likely from several centralized pickup
locations). A part-time Physical Plant employee would have to be hired to run the truck and
maintain the program in the summer months, and student workers would still be required to
transport food waste to pickup locations and replenish small collecting pails in the kitchens and
large collection containers outside of the kitchens (into which small pails would be emptied as
they filled). The resulting initial cost would be high, as would the yearly costs (too high to be
sustained).
Another option is for Smith to invest in in-vessel composting containers, as the University of
Massachusetts at Amherst has done (and Williams is considering). The University received a
$90,000 grant from the Massachusetts Division of Solid Waste Management (a division of the
Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection) to fund the project (BioCycle, July
1996). However, as mentioned before, Smith does not have adequate space to have these
containers placed onsite, and placing them at Fort Hill would still require prohibitive collection
costs.
A third option is to invest in pulpers, manufactured
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MiniPulper, 2004). The dry material could be stored for longer than raw food waste, as both
odors and storage space would be reduced. With this system, both pre- and post-consumer food
wastes could be composted, as well as napkins. Once collected, this material could be
transported to the Fort Hill site and mixed with the ìgreenî compost where it would no longer run
the risk of attracting pests and creating offensive odors and leachate. As weight would be greatly
reduced, pickups could be conducted using a small-sized vehicle, eliminating the need to invest
in a large truck. The main obstacle to carrying out this plan is the high initial cost of pulpers,
which cost about $8,000 each (Niemi, March 2003). This price contributes to an estimated
startup cost of $89,750 (see Table 3). However, once the college made this investment, yearly
costs would be minimal (see Table 3).
Tables and Figures
Table 1: Totals of pre-consumer food waste collected at Smith from the four participating
kitchens. Note the irregularities between the number of students in each house (about equal in
each) and the number of pounds or food waste collected (there are large differences). Note also
the difference between the number of pounds collected between the two months.
TOTAL FOOD WASTE COLLECTED (IN POUNDS) †
Kitchen Nov. 2003 Feb.
2004
King/Scales (147 students) 3,812 lbs. 3,410.75 lbs
Morrow/Wilson (184
students) 1,589 342
Comstock/Wilder (162 students) 1,919 2,041
Cutter/Ziskind
(162 students) 2,590 1,339.50
Totals 6,098 3,722.50
† (3.0 tons) (1.86 tons)
Table 2: Rough cost estimate of initial and yearly costs an expanded version of the current Smith
composting program would incur. This option requires a relatively high initial cost and an
equally high yearly cost.
EXPANDING THE SMITH COMPOSTING PROGRAM IN ITS CURRENT STATE
Initial
Investments Cost Quantity Totals
Large dump truck $60,000? 1 $60,000
Collection pails $0.50 150 $75.00
44 gallon Rubbermaid storage bins $35.00
50 $1,750.00
† † † $61,825
Yearly Costs † † †
Physical Plant employee
(part time) $20,000 2 $40,000/yr
Student Work $7.20/hr;
10hrs/wk 11 $23,760/yr
† † † $63,760/yr
Table 3: Rough cost estimate of initial and yearly costs a composting program incorporating
pulpers in all kitchens would incur. This option requires a higher initial cost than expanding the
current composting program, and a minimal yearly cost.
EXPANDING THE SMITH COMPOSTING PROGRAM WITH THE ADDITION OF
PULPERS
Initial Investments Cost Quantity Totals
Collection pails $0.50
150 $75.00
44-gallon Rubbermaid bins $35.00 50 $1,750.00
Hobart
Pulper $8,000 (?) 11 $88,000
† † † $89,750
Yearly
Costs † † †
Incorporate dry compost pick-up into either landscaping or physical plant
schedule (1-2 times/week) for dumping at Fort Hill site † † Minimal
Discussion
In reviewing Smithís pre-consumer waste collection data, it is clear that existing records are
inconsistent. The amount of waste collected at King/Scales was nearly three times above the
average (see Table 1), so relying on that set of data may not produce accurate estimates.
Reasons for data discrepancies are unknown, but could include irregularities in kitchen worker
cooperation, missed pickups, lack of clean buckets for kitchen workers to use, and discrepancies
in cooperation between kitchens. Alternatively, it is possible that King/Scales had the best
participation rate in the kitchen, and therefore collected the most waste, while other kitchens may
not have been as stringent about their waste disposal habits. It is also possible that Tenny and
Hopkins Houses bring their food waste to the King/Scale kitchen, as it is closest to them,
increasing recorded numbers there. However, it is impossible to draw accurate conclusions
without further investigation.
Based on Smithís limited land, money, and staff resources, it is most practical to plan a course of
action that will require as little of each as possible. Composting raw food waste on Smith
property is not a viable option, nor is hiring an additional Physical Plant employee to operate a
large compost dump truck and maintain the program by continuing to dump waste at the Smith
Vocational School site. However, Smith does have a campus climate amenable to composting,
Physical Plant staff that is supportive of composting (as long as it is economical), and a lot of
valuable food waste. Obstacles of funding can be overcome through grants (as the University of
Massachusetts demonstrated), so initial investments should not stop Smith from pursuing a
continuation and expansion of its composting program.
While looking at larger universitiesí programs provided valuable resources and information,
presenting programs at schools comparable to Smith gives a more realistic picture of what Smith
can do and points out that Smith should be striving to achieve the same environmental and
educational goals as similar schools. A number of schools similar to Smith have invested in
composting, noting that it not only enhances their image of being environmentally responsible,
but can serve as an educational resource for students and the larger community. At a time when
environmental awareness and action is becoming more important to many students, Smith
College should foster their attitudes and demonstrate its commitment to the environment by
making composting an integral and visible part of the community.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
To get a clearer picture of the amount of food waste generated at Smith, I recommend
continuing the composting program as is for one full year, paying close attention to how
accurately collected waste is weighed (and how many students it represents), and how
completely kitchens participate. While this year of research is not entirely necessary, and could
be skipped if Physical Plant cannot support the necessary student workers, it would provide a
better estimate of the waste-generation rate at Smith (which, from the perspective of composting,
turns into an estimate of Smithís resources in the form of food waste). It would also allow time
to apply for a grant with which to start a larger program, while keeping the composting program
active. Alternatively, students interested in supporting an expanded program at Smith could
form a club (which would have minimal funding from the college) or volunteer time to do the
collecting and weighing work (though both options would still require the use of a Physical Plant
truck, gasoline and maintenance costs to them would be minimal).
Incorporating food waste pick up into existing jobs would eliminate the need to hire new
employees or student workers, removing much of the collegeís yearly expenses to support the
program. Due to the large number of kitchens on campus, Smith would need to establish several
central pickup locations (the Quad, Upper Elm and Center Campus, Lower Elm, and Green
Street, for example) to which food waste could be transported by student or kitchen workers as
part of their regular jobs. To successfully incorporate the pickups, they would need to be
required only once or twice a week, which in turn requires that food waste needs to be able to be
stored for several days without attracting pests, creating odors and leachate, or taking up too
much space. The most logical way to fill the above needs is to install pulpers into all kitchens
and follow the plan outlined earlier. Both pre- and post-consumer waste could be collected
(minus meat and bone scraps), as well as paper napkins, plates, and cups.
As the program expands, the college will need to educate both staff and students about what is
required of them to make it work, and about what happens to the composted material. Providing
written and illustrated information at Central Check-In would be an efficient way to begin the
education process, as all students must attend. Further student education could be done through
signs posted in kitchens and by the dishwashing station (where students clear their plates). If
enough students are interested in making composting popular and successful, the campus will
acclimate to the new method of food disposal, increasing the environmental awareness of the
whole campus.
Literature Cited
ASUCD Project Compost. ìCollege Guide to Campus Wide Composting: For educational and
functional college composting programs.î 2003. University of Southern California, Davis. 4-2804. < HYPERLINK "http://www.projectcompost.ucdavis.edu/Compost_Guide.pdf"
http://www.projectcompost.ucdavis.edu/Compost_Guide.pdf >
BioCycle. ìIn-Vessel on Campus.î BioCycle Vol 37. July (1996): 23. 6 April 2004.
Campus Consortium for Environmental Excellence (CCEE). ìBest Management Practices for
Colleges and Universities: Dining Services.î April 2003. United States Environmental
Protection Agency. 4-28-04.
<http://www.epa.gov/ne/assistance/univ/pdfs/bmps/BatesComposting.pdf>
Diggins, Patrick. Area Manager RADS. Personal Interview. 15 May 2004.
Dombkowski, Bob. Head of Grounds at Smith College Physical Plant. Personal Interview. 7 May
2004.
ìEL3 MiniPulper Waste Equipment Systemsî. 2004. Hobart Corporation. 4-28-04
<http://www.hobart.co.jp/pdf/el3.pdf>
Miller, B., Torkelson, S., and Umezaki, M. ìThe Future of Sustainable Composting at Williams
College.î 14 Dec. 2002. Williams College (student paper posting). 4-28-04.
<www.williams.edu/CES/studentpapers/compost.htm>
ìMunicipal Solid Waste: Basic Facts.î 27 April 2004. United States Environmental Protection
Agency. 4-28-04. <www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/facts.htm>
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