This month, a composting program will be piloted in three buildings on the med center campus, with several more locations likely to follow in a second phase.
In the Michael F. Sorrell Center for Health Science Education, the Center for Public Health and the 4230 Building, paper towels collected in the restrooms now will be sent to a composting facility in the Omaha area, where this waste stream will be converted into nutrient-dense soil. A few break rooms at these locations also will collect food scraps and coffee grounds, in addition to paper towels.
The EPA estimates that 63.1 million tons of food waste were generated in the commercial, institutional and residential sectors in 2018, which is 21.6% of total municipal solid waste generation. Composting is an effective way to divert this waste through local systems.
When organic material, such as food, is sent to the landfill, it takes a long time to break down. In doing so, it releases methane for 10 to 25 years, creates a toxic sludge that can get into our water and shortens the lifespan of the landfill. Methane is more than 25 times as potent as carbon dioxide at trapping heat in the atmosphere, and it has significant implications for human health — avoiding these emissions has the potential to save many lives.
By composting, the med center not only is avoiding the detrimental impacts of sending organics to the landfill, but also it is positively impacting the community. The paper towel and organic waste will be sent to Hillside Solutions, a composting facility in Ashland, where it is turned into a nutrient-dense product that enriches soil, helps reduce plant diseases and pests and reduces the need for chemical fertilizers. The compost is used in gardens, farms and landscaping across the area, creating a circular, regenerative system within the local community.
Materials that can be composted at Hillside’s facility include food scraps, including meat and dairy products, paper towels, napkins, fiber-based to-go containers, coffee grounds and 100% compostable plastics, such as cups and utensils.
With questions, email Jerrod Bley.
Very exciting! I hope this means we will be moving away from styrofoam to-go containers and towards a compostable option.
Great news! We must do today what we can do today.
This is very exciting, thank you to your efforts getting this started at UNMC! Hope we can create that space all over campus in all breakrooms!