Funding for School Cafeteria Recycling & Composting Training Workshop

provided by:

Peter CookeManomet

3

4

The average American wastes ten times as much food as someone in Southeast Asia and 50 percent more than an American living in the 1970s. Natural Resources Defense Council, August 2012.                                                                                                                                                               

The opportunity for our educational institutions to…

demonstrate communicate

…effective resource management.

This is what we do at school, we teach our children how to recognize and use the resources that are available to them to better themselves.

.                                                                                                                                                               

They see us using resources and teaching them to use resources- books, educational aides..                                                                                                                                                               

They see us using and managing resources- energy and water.

Are we teaching our children how to be creative with resources when we throw food in the trash?.                                                                                                                                                               

40-50% of trash by weight is food. This is a resource, not trash- we’re not teaching our children how to be creative with resources when we throw food in the trash. .                                                                                                                                                               

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Protecting Maine’s Air, Land and Water

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Protecting Maine’s Air, Land and Water

Starting a School Composting Operation

Mark King, Sustainability Divisionmark.a.king@maine.gov

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep

Why Focus on Organics Recovery?

• Over 40% of MSW by weight is organic• There is little appreciation for value of

organics• Will help with meeting state’s 50% goal• Utilize the EPA “Food Recovery Hierarchy”

There is value in organics!!

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep

Select Higher and Better Uses

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep

Program to Focus on Discarded Food

• Need to start ‘somewhere’• Interest in capturing the value of discarded

food is growing• Collection infrastructure is appearing• There are suitable sites, especially if include

farms• Let’s make it happen!!

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep

Discarded Food Scraps… from?

Residents

Institutions -cafeteria at UMO

Commercial sources →

←

←

Restaurants →

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep

Food Waste

“What’s

in a Name?”

“Everything!!”

Food

Scraps

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep

Overview of Planned Program• Identify the common “Barriers” and solutions

• Promote Updated ‘Organics Recovery Guide’

• Target “Key” regions of the State with workshops: Promote “Higher and Better Uses” Develop a Recovery Program—Identify and

Eliminate “Obstacles” Do your “Home Work”—Residual Characterization

Studies

• Promote Existing Pilot Projects and Develop New Ones

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep

Numerous Facilities Manage Food Scraps in Maine:

• 20 DEP licensed compost facilities currently using food scraps.

• 4 On-farm compost operations actively using food scraps.

• 1 Anaerobic digester currently using food scraps.

• 43 DEP licensed leaf and yard compost facilities.

-Could process up to 5 cubic yards/month of food scraps under exemption.

MAINE DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION www.maine.gov/dep

Statewide AssistanceMark King, Environmental SpecialistTel: (207) 592-0455E mail: Mark.A.King@maine.gov

George MacDonald, DirectorTel: (207) 287-2870E mail: George.MacDonald@maine.gov

Augusta RegionCarla Hopkins, Unit SupervisorPhone: (207) 215-3314E-mail: carla.j.hopkins@maine.gov

Augusta RegionJim PollockPhone: (207) 592-8343E-mail: jim.c.pollock@maine.gov

Bangor RegionRick HaffnerPhone: (207) 941-4331E-mail: rick.haffner@maine.gov

Bangor RegionRoger JohnstonePhone: (207) 557-1173E-mail: roger.h.johnstone@maine.gov

Portland RegionMike ClarkPhone: (207) 822-6300E-mail: Michael.s.Clark@maine.gov

Northern Maine RegionJay DuncanPhone: (207) 760-3165E-mail: jay.b.duncan@maine.gov

Mark KingDEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION

Bureau of Remediation & Waste Management17 State House Station

Augusta, ME 04333-0017Phone: 207-592-0455 OR 1-800-452-1942

Mark.a.king@maine.gov

Maine DEP—Division of Sustainability (Compost Education and Technical Support)Or The Individuals Below

Maine DEP—Residuals Utilization Unit (Licensing Support and Technical Assistance)