The Implementation of. Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling Programs

The Implementation of Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling Programs A Best Practices Guide for Ramsey & Washington County K-12 Schools

the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling programs A Best Practices Guide for Ramsey & Washington County K-12 Schools Acknowledgements This Guide is sponsored by the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Project and reflects a growing body of work on cafeteria food waste recycling through livestock feeding in K-12 schools. The Project s consultant, JL Taitt & Associates, has facilitated most of this work since 2004. The unprecedented, large-scale implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling by Saint Paul Public Schools during the 2006 07 school year offered the opportunity to develop the best practices brought forth in this Guide. For more information, contact: JL Taitt & Associates Jodi Taitt, President 763-504-2445 jodi@jltaitt.com www.jltaitt.com Saint Paul Ramsey County Department of Public Health Zack Hansen, Environmental Health Director 651-266-1160 zack.hansen@co.ramsey.mn.us Washington County Department of Public Health & Environment Judy Hunter, Senior Program Manager 651-430-40 judy.hunter@co.washington.mn.us the implementation of

cafeteria food waste recycling programs A Best Practices Guide for Ramsey & Washington County K-12 Schools Background 1 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction to the Saint Paul Public Schools Experience 3 How to Use this Guide 5 Section I: Planning6 Section II: Implementation 19 Section III: Evaluation Section IV: District-Wide Implementation 25 Appendix 1: Planning Documents??? Appendix 2: Food Waste Recycling Sort Line Photos??? Appendix 3: Food Waste Sorting Table Diagram & Photos??? Appendix 4: Garbage Volume Survey Form??? Appendix 5: Parent/Guardian Letter & Newsletter Article??? Appendix 6: Implementation Week Check List???

BACKGROUND Livestock Feeding 101 Since 2003, Ramsey and Washington Counties have been actively exploring food waste management options. The Counties have focused their attention on food waste recycling through livestock feeding or feeding leftover food waste to hogs. Under permits issued by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health, local livestock farmers pick up leftover food waste and process it so it is safe for the animals to eat by thoroughly heating it to 212 Fahrenheit for a minimum of 30 minutes. Farms provide 32gallon barrels on wheels with lids and collect food waste generated from restaurants, grocery stores, hotels and other similar food rich businesses at either loading dock or ground level using the following guidelines: Acceptable Items Food preparation waste Plate waste Unpackaged spoiled & outdated food Unpackaged frozen food Examples include: Unpackaged meat, bones, fat & grease Seafood, fish & fish by-products Shells & peels Cooled grease or cooking oil All unpackaged fruits & vegetables (corn silks, coconut shells, banana peels) All unpackaged dairy products (milk, cheese, eggs & egg shells) All unpackaged bread & baked goods (donuts, cakes, cookies, pies) Unacceptable Items Coffee grounds Packaging materials (paper, plastic, glass & metal) All other non-food garbage Many businesses have been recycling food waste through livestock feeding for years because it is a proven strategy to reduce costs. What have these businesses learned that schools should know?

Businesses Save Money Businesses in Ramsey and Washington Counties are finding that separating food waste from garbage and managing it through livestock feeding can mean a big savings. These businesses manage food waste through livestock feeding and reduced their costs by: 67% - J & J Distributing 65% - St. Paul Riverfront Crowne Plaza Hotel 48% - Knowlan s Super Markets 35% - Kozlak s Royal Oak Restaurant 20% - Great Waters Brewing Company 14% - Hamline University When businesses separate food waste and collect it for livestock feeding, the management cost of food waste is not subject to the Minnesota State Solid Waste Management Tax of 17% or the County Environmental Charge. The County Environmental Charge The County Environmental Charge (CEC), which started in April 2003, is 53% in Ramsey County and 39.5% in Washington County, and is charged to all commercial generators of waste, including schools. The CEC replaced a service charge that had been placed on property tax statements and is collected by garbage haulers based on the amount of garbage bills. The CEC is designed to relate to the volume of garbage produced. The more garbage produced, the greater the CEC assessment. The less garbage produced, the lower the CEC assessment. State Tax & CEC Exemptions Now, here s the good news! When commercial generators of waste separate their food waste from their garbage stream and recycle it through livestock feeding, they are exempt from paying both the CEC and the Minnesota State Solid Waste Management Tax on the volume of food waste they recover. This is a cost-saving business strategy that can be transferred to schools. Why pay money on garbage when it could be spent on kids instead? Food Waste in School Garbage In 2004 and 2005, Saint Paul Public Schools and South Washington County Schools studied the composition of cafeteria garbage at Maxfield Elementary School and Woodbury Elementary School, respectively. Both studies found that over 82% of what was going in the cafeteria garbage can was food waste. This meant that a typical elementary school was throwing away about 17 tons of leftover food waste in the garbage each school year.

introduction to the saint Paul Public Schools experience Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS), the second largest school district in Minnesota, offers a great opportunity to target food waste and manage it separately from garbage. SPPS: Serves 42,000 students that speak over 70 languages & dialects Operates 253 schools & programs with over 6,500 faculty & staff Prepares and serves 44,000 meals each school day or approximately 5.2 million meals in a school year In Fall 2005, SPPS embarked on a pilot food waste recycling program at four schools and its Nutrition Center where 44,000 meals are prepared each school day. The pilot demonstrated the effectiveness of food waste recycling as well as other benefits such as cost savings and increased environmental awareness among students, faculty and staff. In Fall 2006, SPPS partnered with the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Project and the Saint Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health to implement district-wide cafeteria food waste recycling in all elementary schools. By May 2007, the program was implemented at 52 SPPS sites: 47 elementary schools 2 grades K-8 schools 1 grades 7-12 alternative learning center 1 grades 9-12 alternative learning center District Service Facility (Nutrition Center) Over,500 students and 3,500 faculty and staff have been trained in food waste recycling and will help continue the program. Food waste has been diverted from the garbage, which has helped slow the rising costs of managing garbage and also yields side benefits such as increased cleanliness and workers safety. SPPS accomplishments include: Food Waste Volume Recovered in 2007 (calendar year) 14,942 barrels collected Estimated to be 2,764,2700 lbs. or 1,382 tons of food waste Garbage Dumpster Services Right Sized

Garbage dumpster size and/or frequency of pick-ups reduced Garbage dumpster volume (cubic yards) decreased by 39% Garbage weight per cubic yard decreased by 17% Garbage Compactor Waste Diverted 177 tons of food waste diverted from District Service Facility compactor 93 tons of food waste diverted from Rondo Education Center compactor Garbage Cost Reduction Estimates Other Benefits Garbage dumpster costs reduced by $11,248 per month (Sept. May) Garbage dumpster costs reduced by $101,232 per school year ($11,248 x 9) Garbage compactor disposal costs reduced by $9,083 per year In addition to cost savings, SPPS has experienced other benefits: Awards Improved workers safety because heavy garbage bags no longer need to be lifted into garbage dumpsters Increased cleanliness of operations due to elimination of liquid wastes (milk and juice) from the garbage stream Reduction in odor due to elimination of food waste from the garbage stream Reduction in the use and maintenance costs of garbage disposals Improved inventory management because food waste is separate and more visible to foodservice employees The SPPS food waste recycling program has earned two prestigious awards: In April 2007, SPPS was one of the first recipients of the new Sustainable Saint Paul Award for outstanding achievements in protecting and restoring the environment of the City of Saint Paul. In February 2008, SPPS and the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Project received the 17 th Annual Governor s Award for Excellence in Waste & Pollution Prevention for superior environmental achievement through innovative practices that prevent pollution and waste, improve resource efficiency and lead to sustainability.

how to use this guide A Philosophical Approach From the unprecedented, large-scale implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling at Saint Paul Public Schools, came the opportunity to develop a Best Practices Guide to implement cafeteria food waste recycling programs in K-12 schools. The best practices in this Guide have been found to be the most efficient and effective methods to implement cafeteria food waste recycling programs based on repeatable procedures proven and tested on large numbers of elementary students, faculty and staff. These best practices are a philosophical approach that will continually evolve based around continuous learning and continual improvement as more K-12 schools in Ramsey and Washington Counties implement cafeteria food waste recycling through livestock feeding programs. Four Sections The methods outlined in this Best Practices Guide are divided into four sections. Sections I through III focus on the three phases that generally occur in the implementation of food waste recycling in a school cafeteria: (1) planning phase; (2) implementation phase; and (3) evaluation phase. Section IV is a discussion of how to implement food waste recycling in multiple K-12 schools on a district-wide scale. SECTION I: THE PLANNING PHASE The planning phase is comprised of the activities that lead up to the Implementation of school cafeteria food waste recycling. There are eleven steps in the planning phase: 1. An Interested School 2. Is this School a Good Fit? 3. The VIP Meeting 4. On-Site Analysis 5. Equipment & Supplies 6. Establish a Garbage Baseline 7. Faculty & Staff Meeting 8. Student Service-Learning

9. All-School Assembly 10. Adult Volunteers 11. Parents & Guardians Steps 1 and 2 are exploratory in response to an interest in food waste recycling expressed by a specific school or school district. Steps 3 through 6 address the practical aspects of food waste recycling daily operations and logistics. Steps 7, 8 and 9 are events that inform and educate students, faculty and staff about the upcoming Implementation of food waste recycling and how it will impact them on a daily basis. Steps 10 and 11 encourage the community to support a school s efforts in making food waste recycling a success. Two documents designed to help schools manage the implementation phase of cafeteria food waste recycling are provided in Appendix 1: Planning School Questionnaire Planning Check List These documents serve as a road map to the planning phase. Step 1: An Interested School When a school becomes interested in food waste recycling, the first step is to estimate the volume of food waste the school generates and to determine if there is a livestock producer available to provide the school food waste recycling services. To accomplish this, the following information is required: School location: the street address and County. Building population: the total sum of student enrollment, faculty and staff. Meals consumed per day: the total sum of breakfasts served, lunches served and bagged lunches brought to school from home. Number meals prepared per day: the total sum of meals prepared that are transported and served at off-site locations. Estimate of Food Waste Volume Generated The following factors are used to estimate the volume of school food waste generated: 8.5 ounces of food waste (including milk & juice) generated per meal consumed

Example 3.5 ounces of food waste generated per meal prepared that are transported and served at off-site locations One 32-gallon barrel full of food waste (including milk & juice) weighs 185 pounds An elementary school has an enrollment of 625 students plus 80 faculty and staff (total building population 705). The school cafeteria serves 70 breakfasts and 415 lunches per day and prepares an additional 1,000 meals per day that are transported to three off-site locations. Students bring 175 bagged lunches from home. The following is an estimate of the daily food waste volume generated: Number of Meals Consumed Per Day Breakfast Served 70 Lunch Served 415 Bag Lunch 175 Total 660 Estimated Amount of Food Waste Generated (8.5 ounces/meal consumed) (660 x 8.5) 16 ounces/lb. = 350 lbs./day Number of Meals Prepared Per Day for Off-Site Locations 1,000 Estimated Amount of Food Waste Generated (3.5 ounces/meal prepared) (1,000 x 3.5) 16 ounces/lb. = 219 lbs./day Estimated Number of Food Waste Barrels Filled Per Day (185 lbs. per barrel) 350 lbs. + 219 lbs. = 569 lbs. 569 lbs. 185 lbs./barrel = 3 barrels Food Waste Recycling Services The following criteria will determine if a livestock producer is available to provide food waste recycling services to a school: Estimated number of 32-gallon barrels filled with food waste per day Existing route density in relation to the school s location

Availability of route drivers to serve the school at least three days a week (serving fewer than three days a week creates barrel odor problems due to milk spoilage) Cooler storage for full barrels available at a school if route drivers cannot serve at least three days a week If a livestock producer determines that it can provide food waste recycling services to a school, then the next step is to decide if cafeteria food waste recycling is a good fit for the school. Step 2: Is this School a Good Fit? There is no exact science as to what makes a school a good fit to implement cafeteria food waste recycling. However, based on observation, the schools that have implemented highly successful food waste recycling programs have at least one or more of the following attributes: Adult leadership that will provide the structure needed for students to participate in the program on a consistent basis. Ideally, this leadership starts with a supportive principal that is committed to the success of food waste recycling, and this commitment trickles down to faculty and staff. In lieu of a supportive principal, a school can operate a successful program if the cafeteria supervisor and the head custodian are highly committed to the program and are willing to take on the added responsibility of making it a success. An environmental awareness among students, faculty and/or staff with a desire to implement food waste recycling as a strategy to become more environmentally responsible at school. A financial incentive to explore how food waste recycling might reduce or slow the rising costs of garbage hauling and disposal costs. A cafeteria culture of student service-learning roles and responsibilities supported by consistent adult leadership and expectations. Stonebridge Elementary School and Community of Peace Academy are two examples of schools that offer students the opportunity to serve while learning in the cafeteria and have implemented highly successful food waste recycling programs. Stonebridge Elementary School Located in Washington County, Stonebridge Elementary School is one of ten elementary schools in the Stillwater Area School District (ISD 834). Since the school opened in 1971, adult leadership fostered a philosophy of student service to the Stonebridge school community. Over time, this philosophy has evolved into a present-day culture of every day student service-learning roles and

responsibilities at school. The image to the left illustrates the student servicelearning culture in the cafeteria. Students volunteer to work alongside cafeteria staff in the dish room to spray down dirty trays and put them in the dishwasher. Students volunteer to empty clean trays and silverware from the dishwasher, stack them on carts and wheel them to the front of the cafeteria line. Student table washers wipe off tabletops and seats. Stonebridge, with a K-5 enrollment of 490 students, implemented its food waste recycling program in November 2006. Adding student roles and responsibilities to assist with the separation of food waste from garbage in the cafeteria was easy. Student volunteers called recyclers monitor the food waste recycling barrels, remove any contaminants such as milk cartons and paper napkins and wipe off the food waste sorting table. Because of adult guidance and leadership, students have taken ownership of the food waste recycling program and have made it a great success. Community of Peace Academy Founded in 1995, Community of Peace Academy is a preschool and grades K-12 charter school located on the east side of Saint Paul. Student service learning is built into the curriculum at Community of Peace Academy. Faculty and staff emphasize that students are a part of a school community, and members of a community have responsibilities. One of these responsibilities is to serve the community from helping within school to serving in the larger community outside of school. With a student enrollment of 680, Community of Peace Academy serves four lunch periods a day. The focal point of student service learning at lunchtime is a storage closet of cleaning supplies kept in the center of the cafeteria (image above, right). Everyone in the school principal, faculty, staff and students use the supplies to wash tables and sweep the cafeteria floor after each lunch period. Modeled by adults and expected of the students, children learn early on that cleaning up after lunch is a part of the culture of the cafeteria and school community (I mages to left). Community of Peace Academy implemented a cafeteria food waste recycling program in April 2007. During the first two

weeks of the program, high school students supervised the food waste sorting line and mentored younger students in separating food waste from garbage (Image to right). By the end of two weeks, students of all ages had caught on to the food waste recycling program and high school mentors were no longer needed at the food waste sorting line. Due to adult leadership and expectations of students, a highly successful food waste recycling program was quickly integrated into the cafeteria culture at Community of Peace Academy. If a school has at least one or all four of the attributes that make it a good fit to implement cafeteria food waste recycling and a livestock producer can provide food waste recycling services, then steps 3 through 6 will assist the school in planning for the daily operations and logistics of cafeteria food waste recycling. Step 3: The VIP Meeting The VIP Meeting is a gathering of key school personnel that will be directly impacted by the daily operations of cafeteria food waste recycling and includes, but are not limited to: School principal Cafeteria supervisor Head custodian The purpose of the VIP Meeting is to: (1) introduce the concept of food waste recycling; (2) complete a planning questionnaire; and (3) begin to use the planning check list as a road map to the planning phase. Planning documents are provided in Appendix 1. Introduction to Food Waste Recycling An efficient and effective way to introduce the concept of food waste recycling to key school personnel is to view the 11 minute video entitled, Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling How to Turn Elephants into Pigs! The video, produced in partnership by the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Project and the Saint Paul Public Schools, has two versions: Student Version Student Version with Testimonials The purpose of the student version is to educate elementary school students on how to sort food waste from garbage in the cafeteria, how the farm truck picks up food waste at school and how food waste is cooked and fed to pigs. While the video targets elementary-age students, it is entertaining and informative and will hold the attention of secondary-age students.

The goal of the student version with testimonials is to inform school personnel about the many educational, financial and operational benefits of food waste recycling through the unique perspectives of two elementary school principals, a head custodian and a cafeteria supervisor. It is recommended that key school personnel view the student version with testimonials at the VIP Meeting. The video is available on DVD and a copy can be obtained by contacting the Ramsey/ Washington County Resource Recovery Project at 651-266-8500 or email contactramseycounty@co.ramsey.mn.us. Planning Questionnaire The purpose of the planning questionnaire is to document existing cafeteria operations that will impact the implementation of food waste recycling and is provided in Appendix 1. An explanation to the significance of each question is provided in italics. Planning Check List The planning check list is a tool to help schools chart their progress through the eleven step planning process before the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling and is provided in Appendix 1. Step 4: On-Site Analysis The on-site analysis is a walk through and assessment of the: (1) cafeteria layout and how best to configure a food waste recycling sort line for students; (2) storage space for food waste barrels; and (3) shipping and receiving logistics for the farm truck. Cafeteria Layout & Food Waste Recycling Sort Line The purpose of a food waste recycling sort line is to provide students a safe, clean and convenient way to sort and separate a variety of leftover materials in the cafeteria including, but not limited to: Reusable silverware & trays Unopened food items for reuse (e.g., cartons of milk, containers of juice, etc.) Food waste Milk & juice waste Paper & plastic packaging waste All other waste (including plastic silverware & Styrofoam trays)

The cafeteria layout, student traffic flow patterns, available space, the mix of leftover materials and the order in which they are to be sorted and placed in separate containers will determine the configuration of the sort line. The development of food waste recycling sort lines is in its infancy. Summarized in Table 1, three types of sort line configurations have emerged to date: (1) T-sort line; (2) L-sort line; and (3) single line sort. The types of surfaces for students to set their trays on while separating food waste from garbage is the foundation of these sort lines and include: (1) student desks; (2) a sorting table; or (3) a sorting cabinet. The use of student desks is the easiest and cheapest way to create a sort line. Sorting tables and cabinets must be designed and built and can be made from a variety of materials such as pressed wood with plastic laminate, countertop laminate, and stainless steel. Photos of the sort line configurations described in Table 1 are provided in Appendix 2. Table 1. Food Waste Recycling Sort Line Configurations 1 Sort Line Configuration Student Desk Sorting Table Sorting Cabinet T-sort line 2-hole table 3-hole cabinet L-sort line 3 desks Single line sort 2 desks 1-hole table 2-hole table 2-hole cabinet 1 See Appendix 2 for photos of each sort line configuration. Storage Space for Barrels Farms provide 32-gallon barrels on wheels with lids to collect food waste generated by schools. When barrels are empty, they can be vertically stacked. When barrels are full, they must be individually stored in between pick-up days. For security reasons and to prevent vandalism, food waste barrels are generally stored inside the school building and may or may not be staged outside on pick-up days. The total amount of internal storage space needed to store barrels will depend on the number of full barrels that are generated between pick-up days. Ideally, this storage space is located adjacent to the kitchen and

shipping and receiving area. The amount of space required to store a 32-gallon food waste barrel with a lid is approximately 26 square x 32 high. Shipping & Receiving Logistics Farm trucks are equipped with lift gaits and can collect food waste at either loading dock or ground level. During the walk through, any unique circumstances to the school s shipping and receiving logistics should be noted, and the livestock feeding service provider should be notified as soon as possible to assure that service can be provided. Step 5: Equipment & Supplies Table 2 lists the equipment and supplies typically required to implement school cafeteria food waste recycling. Long-handled tongs are used to remove milk cartons or non-food items from food waste barrels. Squeegees are used to keep sorting area surfaces clean. Student helpers use reusable aprons and disposable gloves. If a school chooses to use a sorting table or cabinet, it will need to plan ahead to have it designed and built in time for the scheduled program implementation date. A diagram and photos of the food waste sorting table built by Saint Paul Public Schools and used in a variety of food waste recycling sort line configurations are provided in Appendix 3. Table 2. Food Waste Recycling Equipment & Supplies Equipment Supplies Student desks or Sorting table or Sorting cabinet Long-handled tongs Squeegees Reusable aprons Disposable gloves Examples The sorting table built by Saint Paul Public Schools is a standard, 3 x 6 pressed wood table with a plastic laminate surface that can be ordered from a school furniture supply catalog. The legs are 36 adjustable set at 33 high to accommodate the height of a 32-gallon barrel on wheels (32 high). There is a support

stringer fastened underneath the table in addition to 2 x 2 barrel guides that keep the barrels in position under the table openings. The sorting table built by White Bear Lake Area Schools is made of a countertop laminate. It has a center hinge so that it can be folded in half for compact storage and is on wheels that can lock in place. 6: Establish a Garbage Baseline Step Most schools manage their trash loose in garbage dumpsters as opposed to compacting it in garbage compactors. Usually, the cost for trash dumpster pick-up service is a flat monthly rate based on dumpster volume (measured in cubic yards), frequency of pick-ups and the weight of trash (measured in pounds per cubic yard). Embedded in a school s monthly dumpster service charge is the garbage hauler s cost to haul garbage to a disposal facility (haul charge per cubic yard of trash) and the cost to tip garbage or weigh it in on a disposal facility scale (tip fee per ton of trash). The greater the volume and weight of school garbage, the more expensive are garbage dumpster services. A garbage baseline before cafeteria food waste recycling is implemented helps a school understand how its garbage services and costs can be right sized to the residual garbage stream left after food waste has been diverted from garbage. A garbage baseline consists of planning: Garbage dumpster service costs Garbage volume generated (cubic yards) Garbage weight per cubic yard Cafeteria food waste recycling diverts wet, heavy food waste from loose trash in garbage dumpsters with two possible outcomes: (1) a reduction in garbage volume; and (2) a reduction in garbage weight. While a reduction in garbage weight always occurs, a reduction in garbage volume may not. For example, if a school routinely uses disposable Styrofoam trays, which contribute significant volume to the garbage stream, a reduction in garbage volume may not occur. Planning Garbage Service Costs

The cost to manage loose garbage in dumpsters is based on the size and number of garbage dumpsters and the frequency of collection service. To determine the type of dumpster service a school receives, gather the following information from the current garbage hauler and monthly garbage bills: Number of Garbage Dumpsters Size of Garbage Dumpsters 1 (cubic yards) Number of Pick-Ups Per Month 2 1 Ask the current hauler. 2 Ask the current hauler which days of the week the school receives service (M, Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su). The number of pickups per month is the number of pick-ups per week multiplied by 4.33. From a school s garbage bills, calculate the following: Cubic Yards Garbage Per Month 1 Collection Service Charge Per Month State Tax (17%) County Environmental Charge 2 (53% or 39.5%) Total Monthly Garbage Costs (A) 1 Size of garbage dumpster x Number of garbage dumpsters x Number of pick-ups per month. 2 The County Environmental Charge is 53% in Ramsey County and 39.5% in Washington County. The current monthly cost of garbage dumpster service = (A) Pre-Implementation Garbage Volume To baseline garbage volume, a visual garbage volume survey is conducted at least two weeks before the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling. A sample survey form is provided in Appendix 4. Survey data is collected by recording on the survey form how full the dumpster visually appears (1/4 full, half full, ¾ full, etc.) just before it is emptied by a garbage hauler. A custodian may record visual survey data at one of two times: (1) at the end of the night shift; or (2) at the beginning of the day shift before the hauler empties the garbage dumpster. Pre-Implementation Garbage Weight Per Cubic Yard To baseline garbage weight per cubic yard, request an estimated weight per cubic yard of garbage from the school s garbage hauler. If the hauler does not have this information, the hauler may agree to weigh the school s garbage dumpster before the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling by using the following method:

Weigh the garbage dumpster on pick-up day Record how full the dumpster is (1/4 full, half full, ¾ full, etc.) Calculate a weight per cubic yard of garbage in the dumpster Step 7: Faculty & Staff Meeting The purpose of the faculty and staff meeting is to inform and educate adults about the upcoming implementation of food waste recycling and how it will impact them on a daily basis. A suggested format for the meeting is to: View the student version with testimonials of the 11-minute video entitled, Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling How to Turn Elephants into Pigs! Have an open discussion among faculty and staff to ask questions and express any concerns about food waste recycling logistics and daily operations. Emphasize the importance of adult leadership to the implementation of food waste recycling and identify student service-learning roles and responsibilities and discuss how they may be implemented. Step 8: Student Service-Learning Based on observation, the most successful cafeteria food waste recycling programs are those where adults create a framework for students to participate in and take ownership of the program through service-learning roles and responsibilities. Experience has shown that most students easily understand and readily embrace food waste recycling because it empowers them to help the environment in a very simple way by feeding pigs their leftover food waste at school. Most students want to help food waste recycling become a successful part of daily cafeteria operations. All they need is adult leadership to show them how to help through service learning roles and responsibilities. Cafeteria food waste recycling offers a variety of service-learning opportunities for students throughout the school year. Examples include: Assisting at the food waste sort line during breakfast and lunch Leadership roles for older students mentoring and educating younger students Special projects for student groups such as student council

Once faculty and staff have identified student service-learning roles and responsibilities that will work best for their school, a way to introduce these opportunities to students is at the all-school assembly. Step 9: All-School Assembly The goal of the all-school assembly is to inform and educate students about food waste recycling and to show them how to separate their food waste from garbage after breakfast and lunch. Holding two assemblies, one for grades K-2 and a second one for grades 3-5, works very well. A suggested format is to: Plan for a 40-minute assembly. Hold the assembly the last Friday before the implementation of food waste recycling the following Monday. View the student version of the 11-minute video entitled, Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling How to Turn Elephants into Pigs! Conduct a food waste sorting demonstration. Introduce opportunities for service-learning roles and responsibilities to students. Set aside five minutes for student questions at the end of the assembly. The purpose of the food waste sorting demonstration is for students to role-play how they would separate their food waste from garbage after breakfast and lunch. The food waste recycling sort line is set up as it would appear in the cafeteria, and student volunteers are selected from the audience to assist in showing the audience while explaining how to sort food waste from garbage. Set Up for All-School Assembly The set-up to conduct an all-school assembly includes: Audio visual equipment for students to see and hear the video such as a laptop, projector, screen, speakers and microphone. Food waste recycling sort line for sorting demonstration including blue food waste barrel, grey garbage barrels, student desks/sorting table/sorting cabinet and share table for unopened food items. One extra plastic liner placed inside of the blue food waste barrel so that food from the sorting demonstration can be thrown away without dirtying the original liner in the blue barrel.

Trays of leftover food, beverages and packaging for sorting demonstrations. Two trays for breakfast, two trays for lunch and one bag lunch from home placed on a wheeled cart works well. Long-handled tongs, squeegees and other equipment that might be used to maintain cleanliness of the food waste recycling sort line. Step 10: Adult Volunteers Adult volunteers are needed to assist in the cafeteria during the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling. Volunteers standing at the food waste recycling sort line help students learn how to separate food waste from garbage after breakfast and lunch. Volunteers are needed during breakfast and lunch the entire first week of the program implementation and may include: County and City staff volunteers Parent & guardian volunteers Community volunteers One way to recruit adult volunteers is to inform parents and guardians about the implementation of food waste recycling at school. Step 11: Parents & Guardians Parents and guardians can be a great source of support for cafeteria food waste recycling. Informing parents and guardians during the planning phase creates interest and enthusiasm from home and can support students efforts in making the program a success at school. Ways to notify parents and guardians about the implementation of food waste recycling are to: Send a parent/guardian letter home Include an article in the school newsletter Add information on the school web site A sample parent/guardian letter and newsletter article are provided in Appendix 5.

SECTION II: IMPLEMENTATION PHASE The implementation phase of cafeteria food waste recycling is a two-month period beginning with the implementation week and ending with the completion of a garbage volume survey. The implementation phase has two goals: (1) to anchor the food waste recycling program into the school s daily operations so that it becomes a long-term, sustainable practice for students, faculty and staff; and (2) to determine if there has been a reduction in garbage volume and/or a reduction in garbage weight per cubic yard. Implementation Week The goal of implementation week is to help students make the transition into separating food waste from garbage with ease and efficiency in the cafeteria. Implementation week is the first five days the program is implemented. Ideally, this is Monday through Friday of a five-day school week without interruptions due to non-school days. To help schools manage the first week of cafeteria food waste recycling, an implementation week check list is provided in Appendix 6. Based on observation, implementation week is pretty easy and goes fairly well due to prior planning and the presence of many adult volunteers in the cafeteria during breakfast and lunch. The greater challenge for a school occurs during weeks two, three and beyond when adult volunteers are no longer available. During this time, the need for a school to trouble-shoot and problem solve is very common. Trouble-Shoot & Problem Solve Even with the best planning and preparation possible, there may be unexpected opportunities to improve the food waste recycling program once it has been implemented. Many schools have found that being open to trouble-shoot and problem solve their food waste recycling programs has helped their programs evolve into a long-term, sustainable practice for students, faculty and staff. The following cafeteria strategies represent a growing body of knowledge accumulated by Ramsey and Washington County schools in an effort to improve the food waste recycling programs they implemented. Cafeteria Strategies Based on observation, there is no right or wrong way to set up and implement food waste recycling in a school cafeteria. While there is some science to the process as provided in this Guide, there is certainly a significant amount of cafeteria art brought to the project as evidenced by the

following strategies. The order in which leftover breakfast and lunch materials are separated can create an effective food waste recycling sort line that allows students to separate food waste from garbage with ease and efficiency. Many schools have discovered that the following sorting order for leftover materials works well: 1. Unopened items placed on a share table 2. Leftover milk poured in a small pail (periodically transfer the milk from the pail to the food waste barrel) 3. Reusable silverware placed in a pan of soapy water 4. Garbage placed in a garbage barrel 5. Food waste placed in food waste barrel 6. Any remaining garbage placed in a second garbage barrel 7. Reusable tray stacked on a cart or placed in the dish room window Prevent student traffic jams at the food waste recycling sort line. Configure the sort line so that students can form two lines to gain access to the sort line and separate food waste. Student dismissal strategies can prevent traffic jams at the sort line. Turn cafeteria lights off and announce that tables will be dismissed soon and students should prepare the items on their trays for sorting such as removing packaging and opening milk cartons (if they don t set unopened items on a share table). A staggered dismissal strategy can prevent a back-up of students at the sort line. Students do not need to miss instructional time to help at the food waste sort line in the cafeteria. Lunch periods can be scheduled so that a mix of younger and older grades has lunch together so that older students can mentor younger students. Examples include.(ask Jenny how this works). Kindergarten and first grade students will need the most assistance at the food waste recycling sort line. Daily adult assistance will be needed to help these students at the sort line, especially at the beginning of the school year. Food prep waste generated by cafeteria staff in the kitchen can be collected and placed in food waste barrels. It may be most efficient to collect food prep waste in smaller containers and transfer it to the food waste barrels the students use.

Garbage disposal use will decrease significantly in the kitchen and may be able to be eliminated, conserving water use and electricity. A food waste barrel is considered full when it is filled with food waste to the bottom of the barrel handle. Filling the barrel over the bottom of the handle mark creates a top-heavy barrel that could spill when transferred from the cafeteria to the storage and pick-up area. Limit barrel odor by placing a plastic liner on top of the barrel and closing the lid down on the plastic liner to create an air tight seal around the barrel. Plastic liners may slide down into new food waste barrels when they become full of food because: (1) there is an air lock inside the barrel; and/or (2) the plastic surface is slippery because the barrels are new. Punch a hole in the plastic liner to prevent a possible air lock, and rub the rim of a new barrel with sand paper to create a texture for the plastic liner to adhere to. Garbage Volume Survey To determine if the implementation of food waste recycling has reduced garbage volume, a visual garbage volume survey is conducted for two months after implementation week. The method to conduct this survey is the same as the pre-implementation garbage volume survey, and the same survey form provided in Appendix 4 is used. Survey data is collected by recording on the survey form how full the dumpster visually appears (1/ 4 full, half full, ¾ full, etc.) just before it is emptied by a garbage hauler. A custodian may record visual survey data at one of two times: (1) at the end of the night shift; or (2) at the beginning of the day shift before the hauler empties the garbage dumpster. At the end of two months after implementation week, there is enough survey data to determine if a reduction in garbage volume occurred. The survey data is used to right size garbage dumpster services in the evaluation phase. Garbage Weight Per Cubic Yard To determine if the implementation of food waste recycling has reduced garbage weight per cubic yard in the dumpster, the hauler may agree to weigh the school s garbage dumpster after the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling by using the following method: Weight the garbage dumpster on pick-up day Record how full the dumpster is (1/4 full, half full, ¾ full, etc.) Calculate a weight per cubic yard of garbage in the dumpster The garbage weight per cubic yard after the implementation is used to right size garbage service costs in the evaluation phase.

SECTION III: EVALUATION PHASE Evaluation is the final phase of implementing a cafeteria food waste recycling program. There are three goals to the evaluation phase: (1) to right size garbage services by reducing garbage dumpster size and/or frequency of pick-ups; (2) to right size garbage service costs; and (3) to present the many educational, financial and operational benefits of food waste recycling to key administrative personnel at the top. Right Size Garbage Services Garbage services can be right sized if the implementation of food waste recycling has reduced garbage volume. A reduction in garbage volume can have the following impact on garbage services: (1) a decrease in garbage dumpster size; and/or (2) a decrease in the frequency of garbage dumpster pick-ups. The results of the garbage volume survey conducted for two months after implementation week will reveal if garbage volume has decreased and if garbage services can be right sized. Example An elementary school has one six-cubic-yard garbage dumpster picked up three times a week on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The results of the school s two-month garbage volume survey after implementation week are summarized in Table 3. Table 3. Two-Month Garbage Volume Survey Data Results Program Week Implementation Week Week 2 Week 3 Week 4 Week 5 Monday Garbage Volume ½ full 3 cubic yards ¼ full 1.5 cubic yards ¼ full 1.5 cubic yards ½ full 3 cubic yards ¼ full 1.5 cubic yards Wednesday Garbage Volume Full 6 cubic yards Full 6 cubic yards ¾ full 4.5 cubic yards Full 6 cubic yards Full 6 cubic yards Friday Garbage Volume Total Weekly Garbage Volume (cubic yards) ½ full 3 cubic yards 12 ½ full 3 cubic yards 10.5 Full 6 cubic yards 12 ¾ full 4.5 cubic yards 13.5 ¾ full 4.5 cubic yards 12

Week 6 Week 7 Week 8 1/8 full 0.75 cubic yards ¼ full 1.5 cubic yards ¼ full 1.5 cubic yards ¾ full 4.5 cubic yards Full 6 cubic yards Full 6 cubic yards Full 6 cubic yards 11.25 ¾ full 4.5 cubic yards 12 Full 6 cubic yards 13.5 Average 12 While the school purchases 18 cubic yards of capacity a week to manage its garbage (6-cubicyard dumpster x 3 pick-ups per week), the survey data indicates that the school only generates an average of 12-cubic-yards of garbage a week. The right size garbage services for the school is to purchase 12-cubic-yards of dumpster capacity a week or a 6-cubic-yard dumpster picked up two times a week. Table 4 summarizes the right size garbage services indicated from the garbage volume survey results. Table 4. Right Size Garbage Services Garbage Services Weekly Garbage Dumpster Capacity Original Before food waste recycling implementation 6-cubic-yard dumpster Pick-up days: M,W,F 18 cubic yards Right Size After food waste recycling implementation 6-cubic-yard dumpster Pick-up days: T, F 12 cubic yards There are special circumstances when a reduction in garbage volume may not occur due to cafeteria food waste recycling. These include: The daily use of one-time-use Styrofoam trays for breakfast and lunch, which create a significant daily volume of garbage that, does not change when food waste is diverted from the garbage stream. The garbage dumpster was overflowing with garbage before the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling, and the residual garbage volume left after food waste is diverted from the garbage stream is the right fit for the original weekly garbage dumpster capacity.

The school s garbage dumpster is shared with another large waste generator such as a park and recreation program that operates evenings and week ends. When another large waste generator contributes to a school s garbage dumpster, the residual garbage volume left after food waste is diverted does not significantly reduce to the point where garbage services can be right sized. Student enrollment in the school has increased, which increases garbage volume generated overall at a greater rate than diverting food waste from the garbage stream has decreased garbage volume. Whether or not garbage volume is reduced, cafeteria food waste recycling always decreases garbage weight per cubic yard and offers the opportunity for a school to work with its hauler to right size its garbage service costs. Right Size Garbage Service Costs Garbage service costs can be right sized if the implementation of food waste recycling has reduced: (1) garbage volume; and/or (2) garbage weight per cubic yard. A reduction in garbage volume will reduce the amount of garbage dumpster capacity a school needs to purchase, and a reduction in garbage weight per cubic yard lightens the load and reduces the cost per cubic yard a hauler will have to pay a disposal facility to dispose of the school s garbage. The following information will help a school right size its garbage service costs: Pre-Implementation Baseline Garbage dumpster service costs Garbage volume survey results Garbage weight per cubic yard Two-Month Implementation Garbage volume survey after implementation week Post-Implementation Garbage weight per cubic yard: the hauler may agree to weigh the school s garbage dumpster after the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling to estimate a reduced post-implementation weight per cubic yard of garbage. To right size garbage service costs, a school may choose to informally negotiate with its hauler or proceed with a formal bid process and a new hauler service contract. Both strategies will require the support and involvement of key administrative personnel at the top. All Roads Lead to the Top From a request by an involved parent to a directive from the superintendent s office, there are a variety of ways in which a school might initiate the implementation of a cafeteria food waste recycling program that ends with the opportunity to right size garbage service costs. Regardless

of how the implementation gets started, the long-term sustainability of the many benefits of the program depends on a full understanding of the educational, financial, operational and environmental benefits of food waste recycling by key administrative personnel at the top. Without the leadership and support from the superintendent and administrative staff in the business, financial, operations and purchasing departments, the longevity of cafeteria food waste recycling will be at risk. For example, a supportive principal committed to the success of food waste recycling might be reassigned to a different school or a head custodian that is highly committed to the program might go on an extended leave of absence. Top administrative personnel will provide long-term consistency and continuity to the school s food waste recycling program. A direct line of communication about the many educational, financial, operational and environmental outcomes of food waste recycling from an individual school to top administrative personnel is invaluable and may lead to a district-wide implementation of food waste recycling in all school cafeterias. SECTION IV: DISTRICT-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOOD WASTE RECYCLING The district-wide implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling in multiple K-12 schools is a macro-implementation of the three implementation phases described in Sections I through III of this Guide. A macro-implementation includes: (1) district-wide meetings that inform, educate and persuade key groups of district personnel about the many benefits of food waste recycling; (2) the development of a district-wide implementation plan to provide overall coordination to the planning, implementation and evaluation phases executed at each school; and (3) a district-wide purchasing strategy to right size garbage service costs and procure food waste recycling services. District-Wide Meetings The purpose of district-wide meetings is to inform, educate, and in some cases persuade, key groups of district personnel about the many benefits of cafeteria food waste recycling starting with: Principals Head building engineers & custodians Cafeteria supervisors & nutrition services staff The agenda for district-wide meetings is similar to the faculty and staff meeting described in step 7 of the planning phase: (1) introduce the concept of food waste recycling; (2) outline the planning, implementation and evaluation implementation phases; and (3) conduct an open discussion for district personnel to ask questions and express any concerns about food waste recycling logistics and daily operations.