According to the USDA, about 30-40% of the U.S. food supply is wasted every year. Instead of food banks and nonprofits, uneaten food is sent to landfills. Additionally, food waste releases greenhouse gas emissions into the atmosphere, one of the leading causes of climate change.
In response to this evolving problem, Virginia Tech has existing and upcoming projects to minimize food waste. Recently, the university was awarded $3,530,497 to fund the creation of a composting facility, according to the Virginia Department of Environmental Quality. The goal is to process food waste in an environmentally healthy way, advancing Virginia Tech’s long-term goal of achieving a “zero-waste campus” by 2030.
“One of the main sources of greenhouse gases can be landfills,” Gonzalo Ferreira, a professor at the School of Animal Sciences, said to Virginia Tech News. “Landfills create tightly packed anaerobic environments, and the microorganisms that grow there produce methane – one of the stronger greenhouse gases. Composting introduces air to the process, which means more CO2 production instead of methane.”
Since 2009, Dining Services have been on the frontlines of making sure food waste and containers are sent to a composting facility. In addition, they no longer serve food in non-biodegradable containers, opting for containers that can be composted across all dining centers. Dining Services also partnered with Campus Kitchen to donate unused food to food banks and donation centers across the state.
The new composting facility is to be located behind Kentland Farm. Its processing capacity will be 2,700 tons per year. One of the main supplies that will be composted in the facility is manure from dairy operations.
“We have a huge need in this area for a commercial composting facility right now,” Emily Williams, assistant director of sustainability for Dining and Housing, said to Virginia Tech News. “There are around three in this region of the state, and they’re all small scale.”
The compost will be redirected to various farms in the area to serve as nutrients for the soil. According to Appalachian Highland Farmers Magazine, composting instead of food going into landfills can actually reduce the university’s spending.
Long term, the composting facility may also create waste management research opportunities for faculty members and students.
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Dining and Cooking