As part of this program, food waste is now collected from food preparation and kitchen areas across 36 food retail outlets on campus, all UNSW childcare centres and residential college kitchens.
The initial results are impressive, with UNSW now recycling over 30 tonnes of food waste per month and this continues to grow. This is 30 tonnes per month less from our general waste directly sent for high grade composting.
The food waste collected from UNSW is composted in a controlled environment resulting in high quality compost for commercial use. The technology used helps capture methane for power generation with 300kWh of power being generated for every tonne of food waste deposited via the Woodlawn Bioreactor in Goulburn, NSW. This is enough to power an average home for two weeks.
The program's success has been a collaborative effort between Estate Management, Sustainability, Business and Campus Services and the food outlets and kitchens on campus. Thanks to the efforts of the food preparation staff, UNSW is making a positive contribution to this recycling program.