NO WASTED WASTE
U of S groundskeeper Nathan Grimard puts food waste into a dehydrator at Marquis Hall on campus on Tuesday. The university has been diverting more than 650 pounds of waste from the landfill daily thanks to a new food waste dehydration program.
It’s cost effective, sustainable and a little bit smelly.
In the bowels of Marquis Hall on the University of Saskatchewan campus, hundreds of pounds of food waste is being turned into a valuable compost that’s helping the university save both money and the environment.
Made possible through the installation of a $75,000 food dehydrator in 2018, staff estimate the machine diverts 650 pounds of food waste generated at the school away from the landfill every day.
“Ultimately, the whole U of S is benefiting,” said grounds manager Gift Marufu, who helped spearhead the project.
The dehydrator allows grounds staff to integrate the semi-composted food waste into the wider compost stream on campus; adding the food waste directly would create odour and rodent issues.
The nutrient rich material is used for everything from topsoil for the school’s rooftop gardens to compost for flower beds around campus. Marufu said if it wasn’t for this process, the food would meet a very different fate.
“It would be going right in here,” said Marufu, gesturing to a nearby Loraas dumpster, noting that food at the landfill can produce harmful gases like methane.
By his calculations, the project saves the U of S about $40,000 a year for things like tipping fees at the dump and the cost of buying similar materials from outside sources.
The dehydrator is located near garbage cans filled with food waste waiting to be processed.
James Mcfarland, the U of S culinary services assistant director and executive chef, said the project has resulted in a strong connection between the grounds department and the school’s culinary staff, as his team was eager to contribute.
“It’s two different worlds that have come together,” said Mcfarland, calling the project a “winwin.”
He said chefs and people in the culinary industry have a role to play in trying to create a more environmentally conscious society.
“There’s a big movement to do all the little pieces we could do to try support sustainability, from how we purchase food, how we manage food in operations, to how we manage waste,” he said. “This is just one of the many, many pieces.”
Groundskeeper Nathan Grimard is one of the people who helps oversee the day-to-day operation of the dehydrator. “Just seeing everything from full food, to pretty much a dirt in a matter of hours, it’s pretty cool,” he said.
In a statement, the Saskatchewan Health Authority said it has looked at “similar approaches to food waste,” but they’re not considered “viable options at this time” for various reasons, including cost.
The City of Saskatoon said in a statement that while it isn’t considering the technology, a plan for civic organics will be developed this year “with the input from key stakeholders as part of the Industrial, Institutional, and Commercial Waste strategy.”