Making The Most of Compost: A Feasibility Study for Composting, Nutrient Cycling, and Waste Mitigation on Our Campus Farm

Commodities

Practices

• Crop Production: nutrient cycling, organic fertilizers
• Education and Training: demonstration, display
• Farm Business Management: farm-to-institution, feasibility study
• Soil Management: composting
• Sustainable Communities: food loss and waste recovery/reduction, infrastructure analysis

St. Mary’s College of Maryland - located right on the St. Mary’s river in rural St. Mary’s county - understands the importance of our agricultural and environmental health. When assessing the College’s areas of improvement for sustainability, food waste management was amongst the highest. SMCM's singular dining hall produced 2.5 tons of food waste between January-May of 2023, with 90% of it going to landfills. The substantial amount of money SMCM puts into said food waste disposal only increases carbon and greenhouse gas emission rates. The Kate Chandler Campus Community farm makes it so that SMCM experiences food waste at the production level as well as the consumption level. Suboptimal soil nutrition plays a role in Kate Farm produce becoming waste instead of farm-to-fork dining options for the local community. Poor soil health also reduces its ability to sequester carbon which only drives SMCM’s emissions higher. With these needs in mind, composting presents itself as a multifaceted solution. Compositing initiatives conducted on the Kate Farm using food waste from SMCM’s campus dining hall, townhouse kitchens, Veggie Co-Op kitchen, and waste crops will reduce the money spent on disposing food waste and the emission rates attached to those disposal methods. The compost created from this food waste will enrich the soil we use to grow the foods that sustain our students and community partners such as Farming 4 Hunger. A feasibility study will determine how best SMCM can go about introducing a successful composting program to the campus and its farm.

Objectives:

The objectives of this composting feasibility study are designed around five key phases, which will guide the Sustainability Fellow and other team members' approach to reducing campus food waste, decreasing disposal costs, and enhancing soil health and local agriculture through sustainable practices.

Phase 1: Initial Planning and Objectives Setting (Month 1-4)
In this phase, key stakeholders will be convened to define the project’s goals: reducing food waste, supporting farm-to-fork practices, and fostering community partnerships. The first portion of the stipend will also be distributed.

Phase 2: Waste Audit and Preliminary Research (Months 4-6)
A comprehensive waste audit will be conducted, including data from the dining hall and townhouses. Previous audits show 0.4625 tons of food waste per month, with a water footprint of 82.5 gallons and a carbon footprint of 2.04 tons of CO₂. Research on composting systems will focus on Earth Tubs, which can process 925 pounds of food waste per month.

Phase 3: Pilot Set-up and Early Data Collection (Months 12-18)
A pilot composting system will be set up on the Kate Chandler Community Campus Farm. Waste collection will begin, and data on waste volume, processing times, and pest control will be collected. Feedback from internal and external stakeholders will inform further development.

Phase 4: Feasibility Analysis (Year 2)
Following the pilot, the effectiveness of the composting system will be assessed, evaluating cost savings, environmental impact, and the need for expansion.

Phase 5: Finalize Feasibility Results, Make Recommendations, Outreach (Year 2)
The final results will be shared with local farmers and stakeholders, providing recommendations for scaling the composting program and its potential environmental and economic benefits.

Specific Objectives:

1. Quantify food waste disposal costs and CO₂ emissions.
2. Measure soil nutrient levels before and after compost application.
3. Survey campus knowledge and interest in composting.
4. Monitor waste processing and collect feedback.
5. Evaluate the environmental and cost impact of the pilot.
6. Apply compost to improve farm soil and crop yield.
7. Share results with local agricultural partners to support sustainable practices.

These objectives, aligned with each phase, provide measurable benchmarks to evaluate the success of the project.