Plan to increase Orange County's compost

More than 3.5 million pounds of food waste from Chapel Hill was composted last year.

And if Orange County officials adopt a recently proposed plan to reduce food waste in public schools, that number could increase dramatically.

Orange County is developing a program to reduce food waste in both public school districts in the county, which if enacted could compost up to 320,000 pounds of food waste, said solid waste planner Blair Pollock of the Orange County Solid Waste Management Department.

Chapel Hill-Carrboro City Schools and Orange County Public Schools would compost their biodegradable waste instead of sending it to the crowded county landfill.

The proposed compost project for schools would extend a program already in use at Carolina Dining Halls, UNC Hospitals, The Carolina Inn and in many local businesses.

“Schools are among the biggest food waste producers,” said Orange County Commissioner Barry Jacobs.

The project is part of the Orange County government’s commitment to reduce solid waste by 61 percent, a reduction based on a benchmark placed in 1997.

The county is currently at a 54 percent reduction.

“Each additional percentage is harder to achieve,” said Orange County Commissioner Steve Yuhasz.

According to Orange County Solid Waste Management records, 3.57 million pounds of food, napkins, cardboard and other biodegradable wastes were composted during the last fiscal year as part of the program.

But first, money must be invested into the program, Pollock said.

Currently, the University’s Rams Head and Lenoir Dining Halls maintain a 60 percent recycling rate, Director of Food and Vending Scott Myers said.

Myers said that everything has been made compostable, including napkins and straws.

But Myers said the process is taxing — staff must separate food and trash from plates and silverware.

New Hope Elementary School has also started a compost program.

Children at the school are served fruits and vegetables as a part of the USDA’s Fresh Fruit and Vegetable Program.

Food waste from uneaten fruits and vegetables are composted and used in the school’s vegetable garden.

The program was made possible when a parent donated a composter to the school, said Orange County Schools Public Information Officer Michael Gilbert.

Next year, the school plans to increase its use of the composter in its main cafeteria.

“Even though it’s a rural county, most kids don’t understand the farm to table concept,” Gilbert said. “This is a step to start addressing that.”

Contact the City Editor at city desk@unc.edu.