Composting

As of August 2022, UW-Madison relaunched a food waste collection program. After receiving tremendous support from the campus community, the UW Zero Waste team convened members from participating facilities, haulers, and a processor in order to find a solution to the composting conundrum. Since its relaunch, the team has utilized a continuous improvement process to reduce contamination, increase collection efficiency, and simplify reporting requirements. The team continues to explore new avenues to collect more inedible food scraps generated at the university. To learn more about the day-to-day operations of this program, explore the interactive story map to take a look behind the scenes. Below are more details describing each group’s role and responsibilities. 

Interactive Story Map

Participating Facilities (Wisconsin Union & University Housing)

Gordon Dining & Event Center, Dejope Residence Hall, Union South, Carson Gulley Center, and Memorial Union are the five participating facilities. These five locations generate over 50% of campus’ food waste. These facilities were selected due to the large quantity of food waste, supportive staff, and for its quality of food scraps. To date, only facilities with trained employees can discard food scraps into the collection carts.  As with many food waste collection programs, contamination remains an ongoing concern. Material is collected in the “back-of-house” operations; employees of these facilities collect inedible portions of produce and spoiled food to be composted. Four Lakes Market and Gordon Dining & Event Center are both equipped with pulpers; this tool breaks down food scraps to reduce its volume. Furthermore, these two locations also collect post-consumer food waste that is pulped in the “back-of-house” before pickup.  

Hauler (FP&M Physical Plant Waste & Recycling)

The FP&M Physical Plant Waste & Recycling team collects food waste from participating facilities. Currently, this team inspects each load of food scraps provided by the participating facility. If a load is contaminated with non-food items such as plastic bags, bottles, wax paper, etc., the load will be rejected, and material will be placed in the trash dumpster. If the participating facility continually has contaminated loads, the facility will be removed from the program.  After the loads are inspected and collected, the team hauls the food waste to the West Madison Agricultural Research Station (WMARS). 

Outlet / Processor (West Madison Agricultural Research Station)

WMARS processes food waste using a windrow composting process to create finished compost (as shown in the photo). Food scraps are added to a long row of earthen material and regularly turned through the use of large machinery. This turning ensures the material breaks down into compost, a useable soil amendment. This facility does not have screening technology. Processing only acceptable items remains an important operational concern. WMARS’s superintendent Janet Hedtcke stated, “the project is going excellent so far.” Because of the supervision, restriction of material brought in, and micro-batches, the station has seen an improvement from the previous program. Hedtcke is in favor of this procedural process to ensure that the material stream remains clean.  

Historical Context

Prior to sending items to an anaerobic digestor, WMARS collected food scraps produced on the main campus. WMARS stopped collecting the university’s food waste because of its high contamination rate. Some examples of contamination included paper/wrappers that blew across the field, industrially compostable products that never broke down, and even metal cutlery that punctured tractor tires. A summary timeline of food waste collection at UW-Madison is shown below. 

The UW–Madison does not accept additional food waste brought from off-campus residences.

For food scraps and other organic materials generated off-campus, please consider the following options:

1. Reduce the volume of surplus food generated.
2. Donate extra food to recovery programs, food banks, and food pantries.
3. Utilize an in-sink garbage disposal if you live within the Madison Metropolitan Sewerage District (MMSD) service area. The Wastewater/Resource Recovery Treatment plant at Nine Springs recovers energy and collects the biosolids for fertilizer (Metrogro). REMINDER: Never put fats, oil, or grease down your drains. Check the product specifications of your disposal to determine what food waste is appropriate.
4. Drop off your food scraps at one of three collection points run by the City of Madison. You can learn more here.
5. Set up your own compost system. Decide if a backyard or vermicomposting system fits best with your available space and volume of food scraps. The UW–Division of Extension Master Composter Program offers resources and support.
6. Compost your food scraps at a community garden. Find a garden near you. Ask the garden coordinator if you could bring your food scraps to the compost pile and/or help maintain the compost pile.
7. Work with a private food waste collection service. Local options include Curbside Composter, Earth Stew Compost Services, and Green Box Compost. Don’t have a private organics collection hauler? Contact your municipality or your landlord to inquire.

For more information, check out the EPA’s Sustainable Management of Food website!