Green OWU

On February 25 2009 a meeting Central Ohio Food Scraps Diversion Task Force was held in Columbus. The task force is a partnership between the Mid-Ohio Regional Planning Commission, Ohio Environmental Protection Agency, Ohio Department of Natural Resources and the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio.

Presenter 1: Joe Goicochea

• joe.goicochea@epa.state.oh.us
• Ohio EPA Division of Solid and Infectious Waste Management, Food Scraps Program

Food Scraps Program: education, funding, and forging partnerships

• food waste is the least recovered of waste in the US
• Youngstown State University study: food waste as 35% of university waste
• challenge: lack of composting facilities (changing)
• challenge: low Ohio disposal fees (cheaper to dump than to compost)

Hierarchy of Food Waste Recovery:

Private & Public sector projects:

• Ohio Grocers Foundation: training manual and composting program
• Kroger: composting program & training video (Marne Fuller): Delaware store south of OWU Campus will be involved in program in the future.
• Residential Collection: Huron, OH will begin collecting food waste with yard waste this year.  Inspired by nearby resorts who compost their food waste.
• Youngstown State University composting (using EarthTub composter)
  
• Ohio University on-campus solar powered composting

Presenter 2: Tim Berlekamp

• Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio (SWACO)
• Ohio law considers food waste to be solid waste, and thus solid waste fees apply when dumping.  Disincentive to recycle food waste.
• SWACO has developed a system to capture methane from landfills to power SWACO vehicles.  Thus food waste in landfills is not a total waste

Presenter 3: Erin Miller

• Mid Ohio Regional Planning Commission (MORPC)
• Waste Reduction Group, part of Energy & Environment Program

Presenter 4: Angel Arroyo-Rodriguez

• angel.arroyo-rodriguez@epa.state.oh.us
• Ohio EPA Division of Solid and Infectious Waste Management, Food Scraps Program

Presenter 5: Marne Fuller, Kroger

• first, donate viable food (food donation program), then compost
• currently, program is cost neutral

Additional Important Meeting Comments:

Composters need food waste mixed with paper, yard waste, untreated wood.

Food waste is heavy (3 cu yards = 1 ton) thus expensive to dispose of

Begin to simplify waste stream:

1. Plastic and glass to recycle
2. Food waste, yard waste, and paper to composter
3. Non recyclable material to landfill