Diverting food scraps and organics material from the landfill supports the local economy, farmers and growers by composting our food waste instead of dumping it in a landfill or down the drain. It's better for the environment and it's the law in Vermont.
In an average week UVM diverts 15 tons of food scraps and compostable items ("organics") from the landfill and sends it to the CSWD Organics Recycling Facility in Williston, Vermont.
Food scraps and compostable packaging are collected from a variety of campus locations each day by our contracted hauler. Using a specially designed hybrid-powered truck equipped with a hydraulic bucket that can lift the heavy carts, these carts are lined with a compostable bag liner which helps keep them clean. The material is then hauled to CSWD which processes food waste and yard waste from throughout Chittenden County into high quality compost, topsoil mixes and soil amendments sold as Green Mountain Compost.
What Can Be Composted?
Food Scraps and Leftovers
- Fruits and vegetables (please remove stickers)
- All food waste including meat
- Fats and oils
- Meat and bones
- Fish and seafood, including shells
- Eggs and egg shells
- Milk, cheese and all other dairy products
- Bread, pasta and grains
- Coffee grounds and tea leaves
- Condiments (ketchup, mustard, etc.)
- Soups and sauces
- Chewing gum
Food Ware Packaging
Effective January 1, 2022, food service packaging is no longer accepted at the CSWD Organics Recycling Facility.
Only the following non-food materials are still accepted:
- Certified, clearly labeled compostable bags used for lining food scrap containers
- Coffee filters & tea bags (paper only–no plastic tea bags)
- Newspaper and untreated paper bags used to line food scrap containers
- Paper towels and napkins – only if they DO NOT contain body fluids or chemicals of any kind
- Wooden or bamboo stirrers, toothpicks (no plastic frills), chopsticks
Where is Food Waste Collected at UVM?
All UVM Dining Kitchens
Kitchen staff in all UVM Dining locations separate food scraps during preparation and cooking. This is known as prep waste or "pre-consumer" organics and it comprises the largest percentage, by weight, of all the organics we collect on campus.
Residential Dining Halls
All campus dining halls use real dishes and silverware so there is no packaging waste. At Central Campus Dining and Redstone Dining, and Northside Dining students scrape their food leftovers (known as "post-consumer" organics) into a designated barrel before putting their dirty dishes on a conveyor belt.
At Harris-Millis Dining, students put their plates directly onto a conveyor belt which goes into the dishroom where the kitchen staff separate the food scraps for composting.
Retail Dining Areas
In retail food areas, collecting organics is a bit more challenging because of the packaging. UVM Dining uses BPI-certified compostable packaging in most areas which makes the collection task easier. Colorful signage is used in retail areas to guide students and customers in sorting their waste.
Residence Halls
Students in all UVM residence halls have the opportunity to collect food scraps for composting using the "small food waste bags" provided by UVM Recycling & Zero Waste. These brown bags are available at the front desk of their specific res hall or the main desk of their associated complex (for example, residences of the Back Five can get bags at the McAuley front desk).
These bags have a cellulose lining which enable them to hold in odors and moisture for the amount of time needed to fill the bag. Once the bag is full the student can then deposit the bag at the provided 13 gallon, green compost container also located close to the front desk. These containers can be identified by the "compost" sticker on the front or top of the container.
UVM Recycling & Zero Waste services these containers on a weekly basis and all the materials gets hauled to Green Mountain Compost.
Office Areas
We are working to expand compost collection to all academic and administrative locations campus-wide, however, this presents operational challenges. UVM Recycling & Zero Waste will provide collection bags and containers so if you are interested in composting in your office please get in touch and we can discuss options and how to get started. Thank you!
Outdoors and Special Events
Composting and recycling take place at high profile outdoor events on campus. This requires advance planning and typically the event organizer provides volunteers to staff each trash station to help attendees sort their items properly. Contact UVM Recycling for specific needs for your event.
Off-Campus
Visit the Chittenden Solid Waste District website to learn about options for handling food waste and organic waste at home.