In keeping with Penn State Harrisburg's commitment to environmental sustainability, the campus' conservation committee and Stacks Market, the on-campus food court, began a month-long pilot program Jan. 24 to assess the feasibility of collecting post-consumer food waste for composting. Labeled collection containers have been placed near the waste and recycling containers in the food court area for diners to deposit paper and food waste.
Prompted by suggestions to expand the campus composting operation, Housing and Food Services and the Conservation Committee created the pilot program. The college currently composts landscape and preconsumer food waste, which is then used to improve the quality of soil throughout the campus grounds.
The pilot program’s success will rely on diners’ cooperation in carefully following the recycling and waste disposal guidelines. Improper disposal of noncompostable items in the collection container will require added labor to sift through the waste to remove those items, making the program unfeasible. If the pilot is successful, permanent containers will be placed throughout the dining area.
For more information or to provide feedback, contact Greg Schiavoni, assistant director of housing and food services, gqs1@psu.edu or Jason Zubler, co-chair of the Penn State Harrisburg Conservation Committee, jmz140@psu.edu.