1. FOOD WASTE RECYCLING AT HORRY COUNTY SCHOOLS
Training and Review Program
August 2016

2. Presentation Index Food Waste & Composting 101 Program Overview
Equipment
SMART Carts
Landfill Trash Buckets
Kitchen Signage
Cafeteria Signage
Dining Services
Building Services
Teachers
Compost Coordinator
Students
Issues? What do I do?!

3. Composting Magic
How to turn this
into this
instead of this!!

4. Food Waste & Composting 101
Food waste accounts for 30-40% of landfill contributions
Methane release, landFULLs, culture of wastefulness
Composting is about recovering resources, protecting the environment, and growing more food!
Food waste (N) is mixed with dry yard waste and cardboard (C), watered, aerated, and monitored for days
The finished product is a nutrient rich soil conditioner that can be used in place of fertilizer
Water retention, erosion prevention → Healthy, happy soil!
Fewer landfills, cleaner air → Healthy, happy community!

5. Program Overview
Collect food scraps and paper products in the kitchen and in the cafeteria
Store organics in SMART Carts
SMART empties Carts 3x week, hauls scraps to HC Municipal Compost Facility
Empty carts are rinsed and returned to their stations
Educational Components
Soil Donations

6. Equipment SMART Carts Commingled recycling containers
Landfill trash containers
Landfill trash buckets
Step, if necessary
Audience-specific signage
Portable sign stands

7. SMART Carts Furry friend proof locking mechanism
Inner rubber seal (heavy lid!)
Waxy interior, no bags required

8. Kitchen Signage

9. Landfill Trash Buckets

10. Landfill Trash Buckets
Buckets available for each table
First group in picks up bucket from designated area
Last group out drops off bucket at dish window
Students separate waste items at the table prior to dismissal
Students can work together to sort waste with teacher oversight
Helps prevent contamination in SMART Carts
Expedites dismissal at the waste containers

11. Cafeteria Waste Categories
Trash
· Styrofoam Tray, Cup, Bowl
· Fork, Knife, Spoon
· Zip Loc Bags
· Plastic Wrap
· Salad Dressing Cup
· Salad Dressing Package
· Ketchup Packet
· Mustard Packet
· Mayonnaise Packet
· Potato Chip Bag
· Rice Krispy Treat Package
· Sandwich Wrapper
· Hotdog Wrapper
· Ice Cream Wrapper
· Plastic Film Covering Cereal
· Capri Sun Pouch
· Plastic Straw
· Cheese Stick Wrapper
Recycling
· Water Bottle
· Soda Can
· Juice Can
· Clean Cereal Bowl
· Clean Lunchable Container
· Clean Aluminum Foil
Compost
· Milk / Milk Carton (if no plastic)
· Juice / Juice Carton (if no plastic
· Napkins / Paper Towels
· Cardboard on Lunchable
· Spaghetti, Hot Dog, Corn Dog, Pizza
· Fruit, Vegetables
· Fruit Snacks
· Potato Chips
· Beans
· Bread, Sandwich, Pastry
· Meat / Seafood
· Cheese
· Bread
· Taco
· Chicken Nuggets
· Graham Crackers
· French Fries
· Salad

12. Waste Categorization & Sign Making Task for Students
Please select a small group of students to work on the new cafeteria waste signs including landfill trash, recycling, and compost. For the rest of the week, please have the students collect clean samples of different waste items and document what items at lunch are classified in each category. The students can follow these steps:
Write down everything that could be given to you at lunch today.
Categorize these items into trash, recyclables, and compost.
If you can, collect a clean sample of the item such as a fork or juice carton.
***For items that could spoil, draw a picture or print a small photo of the item.
Create signs for each waste stream with a title heading and paste the items on the correct sign.
Keep your eyes open for new kinds of waste items in the cafeteria!
These signs will be used to help show students what belongs in each container and they will be posted in your cafeteria!

13. Examples of Cafeteria Signage

14. Dining Services Put clean, rinsed SMART Cart in kitchen area
Post kitchen signage in visible areas
Collect compostable material during food prep and deposit in SMART cart
Collect parchment paper, waxy cardboard, paper towels and deposit in SMART cart
Rinse “Landfill Trash” buckets at the end of service and place them in designated area to be used by students

15. Building Services
Rinse SMART Carts as soon as possible following pickup
Leave 3-4 inches of water in the bottom of Carts
Set up waste disposal stations with signage
Remove landfill waste bags and replace liners
Remove commingled recycling contents and deposit in green commingled SWA dumpster
Replace SMART Carts when 85% full
Move SMART Carts outside to designated area
Ensure lock is engaged
Identify defective parts on cart, place note on cart for servicing

16. Teachers Direct students to use “Landfill Trash” buckets at tables
Assist students with categorizing waste items
Assign student helper to dump “Landfill Trash” bucket in proper waste container
Encourage students to help one another sort waste items
Review waste items and procedures with students
Monitor dismissal and reinforce waste separation practices
Follow and enforce cafeteria procedures
Use educational resources to inform students of why we compost materials and how composting is done

17. Composting Coordinator
Point of contact for composting program
Receive equipment at the school
Distribute notifications and correspondences at school
Post appropriate signage throughout school to generate curiosity and excitement
Coordinate pre and post implementation educational survey
Coordinate student signage assignment
Coordinate trash log data collection
Distribute educational resources to teachers

18. Students Sort waste items at the table
Deposit landfill waste items into landfill buckets
Assigned student helper dumps landfill bucket into landfill trash container
Identify waste items and the proper means of disposal
Student leaders may assist with services as student sorting helper and assist younger children with dumping trays
Follow all cafeteria procedures

19. Student Engagement Community Gardens Field trips to compost facility
Meet SMART Recycling
Guest Speakers
Green Teams, Environmental Clubs, Recycling Clubs

20. Pilot Programs 5 Elementary, 1 Middle School
Increase environmental literacy
Up to 50% reduction in landfill waste service
Bags of trash generated in cafeteria reduced from to 2-4 daily
Divert 400 lbs of organic material from landfill daily on average - up to 1,000 lbs per day
Collected over 150 tons of material during 15-16
Measure student learning
Measure waste generated - “right size” facility
Increased recycling rates

21. Service Schedules
School will receive pickups prior to 7 am on designated days
Pickup schedules are either
Monday, Wednesday, Friday
OR Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday
Cart maintenance will be done by hauler on Saturdays

22. Composting Crisis Response
What to do if…
SMART is late for a pick up
We have to use styrofoam trays
Locking mechanism or other feature is broken or defective
All Carts are full and we are still serving students
Refer to Compost Crisis Response Guide

23. Pro Tips USE LANDFILL TRASH BUCKETS!!!
First class in gets Landfill Trash bucket from designated area; last class out returns bucket to dish window
Train student leaders to monitor and assist with separation, especially during breakfast and with youngest grades (CD, K, 1st)
Review waste item categories and procedures before leaving for cafeteria
It takes 3 weeks for students to truly learn separation procedures – be persistent