UNH COMPOST PROGRAM 
The success of the UNH Compost Program is due to a strong partnership among the UNH University Office of Sustainability (UOS), UNH Hospitality Services (UHS) , the UNH College of Life Sciences and Agriculture (COLSA), Kingman Farm, and the Durham community. The main goals of the program are to reduce waste, create a quality soil amendment, and increase awareness of the food cycle.
If you are interested in reserving a bag of compost to purchase in the spring, please call (603) 749-4578.
Read the 2006 BioCycle Magazine cover story on the UNH Compost Program (PDF)!
Closing the Food Cycle in the UNH Community
During the academic year, UNH dining halls serve almost 70,000 meals per week. UHS takes pride in providing contemporary food service by offering diners a wide selection of choices and flavors. Food disposed of at the end of a meal (post-consumer waste) coupled with organic waste generated in the preparation of meals (pre-consumer) leads to a tremendous amount of food waste. A 1999 UNH food waste study conducted by dietetic interns in the UNH Department of Nutrition indicated that a total of four ounces of food waste is generated per meal served. This includes pre- and post-consumer waste and results in ~9750 pounds (over 4 tons) of food waste per week. Combined, we collect between 25,000 - 40,000 lbs. of food waste at all our campus dining outlets per month.
To deal with this amount of food and organic waste in a sustainable manner, during the academic year this waste and other organic materials are gathered from sites on and near the campus. All UNH dining - Holloway Commons, Stillings, Philbrook, Huddeston, and the MUB- have installed food pulpers to pulverize food waste into very small pieces and to extract liquid. The result is a dry paste-like material that composts quickly due to increased surface area, thereby increasing the speed with which the food waste decomposes eliminates the problem of odor.
Since Summer 2006, UHS staff have been collecting food and organic waste from all UNH dining areas. (Prior to Summer 2006, OS compost interns set out early in the morning to collect this waste.) The UHS staff load buckets of waste onto their compost truck and take them out to Kingman Farm. Kingman Farm is the University's 350-acre agronomy research facility and home to eight large compost windrows, each measuring 200 yards in length. Windrows are long compost piles composed of manure, sawdust, plant materials, and organic waste collected at UNH. Windrows that are lighter and coarser are newer and have not yet broken down into dark, crumbly, and more uniform compost. A tractor is used to dig a hole in the windrow into which the waste is poured and then covered. Once the waste is poured out and covered, the waste buckets are washed and returned to their original sites. In prior years, UOS compost interns were also responsible for assisting with campus outreach about the food cycle, composting, and the importance of food waste reduction. Each spring, Kingman Farm employees gather and sift the compost for retail sale as "U DOO" to area farmers and gardeners. The popularity of Kingman Farm compost has grown tremendously over time.
Facts about the UNH Compost Program
- Food waste is picked up at all UNH Dining Halls (Stillings, Philbrook, Holloway), the UNH Memorial Union Building (MUB), UNH Research Greenhouses, and several Durham-area locations off the UNH campus, including Durham Marketplace, The Bagelry, and Breaking New Grounds.
- Approximately 25,000 - 40,000 pounds of food waste are collected per month during the academic year! Approximately 200,000 pounds per year are composted!
- Since Summer 2006, UNH Hospitality Services staff have been collecting food waste and bringing it to Kingman Farm. Prior to Summer 2006, UNH Office of Sustainability compost interns collected the food waste. Five interns were hired during the academic year, and two were hired during the summer.
- UNH U DOO - the final dark, crumbly compost that is perfect for farmers and gardeners - is sold annually at the end of April. It is available for purchase at Durham Marketplace and Houghton's Hardware. You can also purchase it at Kingman Farm. Call Kingman Farm to place a order: 603-749-4578.
Information about Composting
- Compost is a beneficial soil amendment that can improve soil texture and water-holding capacity, as well as increase nutrient levels in gardens, farms, landscape projects, and development.
- Compost is created when microbial activity is present in a concentrated area of organic material. The microbes "eat" the organic material. The byproduct of this "eating" is a nutrient rich humus called compost.
- Composting provides a way to reduce the amount of waste added to landfills and converts organic waste into a valuable soil amendment. By improving overall soil health, compost reduces the need for pesticides and fertilizers. On a larger scale, compost has been used in reforestation projects, as a topsoil replacement in areas damaged by erosion, and to remediate contaminated soil.
- Almost all classes of food waste can be composted. Examples include food waste such as bread, rice, pasta, fruits and vegetables, yard waste, and animal manure. However dairy, meats, fats, and oils should be avoided in large quantities because they breakdown slowly and can cause odors that attract rodents.
- You can compost year-round. Although microbial activity slows down in the winter, it quickly recovers when the temperature warms, causing windrows to reach temperatures upwards of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.
Useful Links
- Sarasota, Florida, Country Government Backyard Composting Tutorial and Information Website
- Ohio State University Extension Fact Sheet on Composting at Home
Get involved! Remember to take what you want, but eat what you take to reduce your food waste. (You can always go back for seconds!). And encourage your local grocery store, restaurants, schools, offices, and other institutions to begin a compost program.
