University Composting Program Expanding with Food Waste Collection Program in Tucson

Credit: Compost Cats Facebook The Environmental Services Department in the City of Tucson, Arizona is to begin a pilot program to collect food waste from local restaurants and grocery stores. The City explained that initially, this program will target commercial businesses currently being serviced by the University of Arizona Compost Cats – said to be the only entirely student-run university composting organisation in the U.S. The food waste will be delivered to a composting facility operated by Compost Cats and located on land owned by the Tohono O'odham Nation. The City added that is entered into an Intergovernmental Agreement with Compost Cats on 22 January this year to divert food scraps and green waste. The compost produced is sold at farmer’s markets and is used by the Tohono O’Odham Nation, and the City’s Parks and Recreation Department. According to the City of Tucson, food waste represent a significant portion of the its organic waste generation. Through this pilot program, it said that its Environmental Services Department will evaluate whether commercial businesses such as grocery stores and restaurants generate enough food waste to develop a cost effective collection program. “Environmental Services regularly looks for new opportunities to increase waste diversion in the City,” commented Andrew Quigley, director of Environmental Services. “The partnership developed with the University and the Compost Cats presented us with a great opportunity. With this program, Tucson becomes one of only two Arizona municipalities collecting food scraps,” he continued. For the Pilot Program, Environmental Services (ES) will collect food waste from 16 Compost Cats’ customers in the city limits. Additionally, the City said that ES will offer the service to commercial customers including current and new customers which generate food waste. Initially, collections will be limited to two days per week. Additional collection days will be added as demand grows. The City said that the monthly fee for the service will be the same as charged by Compost Cats ($40 for twice a week collection) and that fees will change depending on service frequency. 120,000 TPA Food Waste to Biogas for Grid Injection Plant Opened in Widnes, UK SARIA has opened a 120,000 tonne per year anaerobic digestion plant that will inject biogas into the national gas grid in Widnes, Northern of England. Anaerobic Digestion & Hazardous Waste Treatment Important for Oman Jeroen Vincent, chief operating officer at Averda has called for anaerobic digestion to be part of an integrated waste management system in Oman, according to a recent report by the Oman Tribue. Are Outputs from a Coffee Waste to Biofuel Process Effected by Bean Type? coffee grinds are a potential feedstock for the production of biofuel, but does the type of bean have an effect on quality or quantity?