Chartwells Partners With Fayetteville on U of A Composting Program

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FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – Chartwells Dining at the University of Arkansas is operating a food waste-to-compost program in partnership with the city of Fayetteville. The program follows a successful pilot program that operated in the spring 2016 semester. The full composting program has been in operation since the start of the fall 2017 semester.

The goal of the program is to divert a significant amount of waste away from the local landfill, at the same time drastically reducing the emission of methane, a potent greenhouse gas released by decomposing organic waste.

The campus food waste comes from Fulbright, Pomfret, Arkansas Union, and Brough residential dining operations, as well as all campus retail locations. Collection includes both waste from food preparation and the uneaten food that is thrown away after each meal. The waste is held in carts on campus that are collected by the city of Fayetteville and combined with area residential yard waste at a local composting facility.

A total of 69.3 tons of food waste was collected during the four and a half month pilot program, a significant amount of that coming from the university. The successful program reduced the amount of food going to the landfill and also increased awareness of food waste among students on campus.

This awareness is a key to the program’s success. A wide variety of food and food-related items can be composted — fruit, vegetables, meat and dairy, of course — but also egg shells, bones, coffee grounds and food soiled items like napkins and paper towels, even wooden cocktail sticks. But students, faculty and staff are also asked to help the process by not putting contaminating items such as product packaging, food containers and plastic bags into the holding bins.

The composting program is a major effort to help the U of A achieve its goals to be carbon neutral with zero waste.

About Chartwells Higher Education Dining Services: Chartwells is the recognized leader in contract foodservice management, hospitality and award-winning guest service within 270 college and university dining environments throughout academic institutions across the U.S. Chartwells’ new brand mantra, “Where Hungry Minds Gather,” signifies its commitment to reinventing the dining experience for the next generation of students and beyond. Our nutritious cuisine not only satisfies the unique appetites, lifestyles and dietary needs of every guest dining on campus, but it also brings people together to promote the high-intensity relationships that will prepare students for the future. For more information, visit Chartwells’ websites at www.ChartwellsHigherEd.com, www.ChartwellsMonthly.com, www.DineonCampus.com , or call toll-free at 1-855-9-Gather (855-942-8437).

About the University of Arkansas: The University of Arkansas provides an internationally competitive education for undergraduate and graduate students in more than 200 academic programs. The university contributes new knowledge, economic development, basic and applied research, and creative activity while also providing service to academic and professional disciplines. The Carnegie Foundation classifies the University of Arkansas among only 2 percent of universities in America that have the highest level of research activity. U.S. News & World Report ranks the University of Arkansas among its top American public research universities. Founded in 1871, the University of Arkansas comprises 10 colleges and schools and maintains a low student-to-faculty ratio that promotes personal attention and close mentoring.