The Charger Blog

University’s Office of Facilities Launches Composting Program in Student Dining Locations

In an effort to reduce the University’s waste output and cut costs, the Office of Facilities is implementing several green initiatives on campus, including composting. This will enable organic waste to be turned into compost – and even electricity.

October 24, 2019

By Laura Miller, Director of Energy and Sustainability


Image of Nate Klein
Chef Nate Klein adds food waste to the compost bin.

The University of New Haven is committed to fostering a sustainable campus and to lessening its impact on the environment. Within the last few months, the Office of Facilities began to explore adding composting areas to the Marketplace at Bartels and Food on Demand in Westside Hall.

Composting is one of many ways that the Office of Energy and Sustainability, in collaboration with Sodexo, is helping the University to reduce its overall waste. There are a variety of waste streams on campus, including general waste, recycling, electronic waste, and food waste.

In the past, food waste has been put into our trash compactors and then disposed of. Composting will help reduce some of the food waste that enters our waste stream, decrease our overall waste output, and cut some unnecessary costs.

Our composting efforts started at the beginning of the fall semester, with the collection of organic waste taking place in the back of the kitchens in both the Marketplace and Food on Demand.

"The University of New Haven is committed to fostering a sustainable campus and to lessening its impact on the environment."Laura Miller

Students should continue to hand in their plates as usual, and staff will put organic waste into totes in the back of the kitchen. Our goal in the New Year is to add areas in the Marketplace and Food on Demand where students can dispose of their compostable waste.

All compostable waste will be removed from campus by an organization called Blue Earth Compost. Once collected from the University, organic waste is delivered to Quantum Biopower in Southington, Conn., where it is put into an anaerobic digester. When processed, all of the food waste is used to help create bio-gases, electricity, and compost.

Image of new composter
Staff members will put organic waste into marked containers.

If you have any questions about composting in the Marketplace in Bartels Hall or Food on Demand in Westside Hall, please email Laura Miller, director of energy and sustainability, at LMiller@newhaven.edu, or call or Facilities at (203) 932-7087.

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