The Implementation of

Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling Programs

A Best Practices Guide

for Ramsey & Washington County K-12 Schools

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the implementation of
cafeteria food waste recycling programs
A Best Practices Guide for Ramsey & Washington County K-12 Schools

Acknowledgements
This Guide is sponsored by the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Project and reflects
a growing body of work on cafeteria food waste recycling through livestock feeding in K-12 schools.
The Projects consultant, JL Taitt & Associates, has facilitated most of this work since 2004. The
unprecedented, large-scale implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling by Saint Paul Public
Schools during the 2006 07 school year offered the opportunity to develop the best practices
brought forth in this Guide.

For more information, contact:

JL Taitt & Associates
Jodi Taitt, President
763-504-2445
jodi@jltaitt.com
www.jltaitt.com

Saint Paul Ramsey County Department of Public Health

Zack Hansen, Environmental Health Director
651-266-1160
zack.hansen@co.ramsey.mn.us

Washington County Department of Public Health & Environment

Judy Hunter, Senior Program Manager
651-430-4031
judy.hunter@co.washington.mn.us

the implementation of
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cafeteria food waste recycling programs

A Best Practices Guide for Ramsey & Washington County K-12 Schools
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Background 1
Introduction to the Saint Paul Public Schools Experience 3
How to Use this Guide

Section I: Planning6
Section II: Implementation
Section III: Evaluation

19

22

Section IV: District-Wide Implementation

Appendix 1: Planning Documents

25

???

Appendix 2: Food Waste Recycling Sort Line Photos

???

Appendix 3: Food Waste Sorting Table Diagram & Photos ???

Appendix 4: Garbage Volume Survey Form ???
Appendix 5: Parent/Guardian Letter & Newsletter Article
Appendix 6: Implementation Week Check List

???

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???

BACKGROUND

Livestock Feeding 101

Since 2003, Ramsey and Washington Counties have been actively exploring food waste management
options. The Counties have focused their attention on food waste recycling through livestock
feeding or feeding leftover food waste to hogs.
Under permits issued by the Minnesota Board of Animal Health,
local livestock farmers pick up leftover food waste and process it
so it is safe for the animals to eat by thoroughly heating it to
212 Fahrenheit for a minimum of 30 minutes. Farms provide 32gallon barrels on wheels with lids and collect food waste
generated from restaurants, grocery stores, hotels and other
similar food rich businesses at either loading dock or ground
level using the following guidelines:
Acceptable Items
Food preparation waste
Plate waste
Unpackaged spoiled & outdated food
Unpackaged frozen food
Examples include:
Unpackaged meat, bones, fat & grease
Seafood, fish & fish by-products
Shells & peels
Cooled grease or cooking oil
All unpackaged fruits & vegetables (corn silks, coconut shells, banana peels)
All unpackaged dairy products (milk, cheese, eggs & egg shells)
All unpackaged bread & baked goods (donuts, cakes, cookies, pies)
Unacceptable Items
Coffee grounds
Packaging materials (paper, plastic, glass & metal)
All other non-food garbage
Many businesses have been recycling food waste through livestock feeding for years because it is a
proven strategy to reduce costs. What have these businesses learned that schools should know?

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Businesses Save Money

Businesses in Ramsey and Washington Counties are finding that separating food waste from garbage
and managing it through livestock feeding can mean a big savings. These businesses manage food
waste through livestock feeding and reduced their costs by:
67%
65%
48%
35%
20%
14%

J & J Distributing
St. Paul Riverfront Crowne Plaza Hotel
Knowlans Super Markets
Kozlaks Royal Oak Restaurant
Great Waters Brewing Company
Hamline University

When businesses separate food waste and collect it for livestock feeding, the management cost of
food waste is not subject to the Minnesota State Solid Waste Management Tax of 17% or the County
Environmental Charge.
The County Environmental Charge
The County Environmental Charge (CEC), which started in April 2003, is 53% in Ramsey County
and 39.5% in Washington County, and is charged to all commercial generators of waste, including
schools. The CEC replaced a service charge that had been placed on property tax statements and
is collected by garbage haulers based on the amount of garbage bills. The CEC is designed to relate
to the volume of garbage produced. The more garbage produced, the greater the CEC assessment.
The less garbage produced, the lower the CEC assessment.
State Tax & CEC Exemptions
Now, heres the good news! When commercial generators of waste separate their food waste from
their garbage stream and recycle it through livestock feeding, they are exempt from paying both
the CEC and the Minnesota State Solid Waste Management Tax on the volume of food waste they
recover. This is a cost-saving business strategy that can be transferred to schools. Why pay money
on garbage when it could be spent on kids instead?
Food Waste in School Garbage
In 2004 and 2005, Saint Paul Public Schools and South Washington
County Schools studied the composition of cafeteria garbage at
Maxfield Elementary School and Woodbury Elementary School,
respectively. Both studies found that over 82% of what was going
in the cafeteria garbage can was food waste. This meant that a
typical elementary school was throwing away about 17 tons of
leftover food waste in the garbage each school year.

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introduction to
the saint Paul Public Schools experience

Saint Paul Public Schools (SPPS), the second largest school district in Minnesota, offers a great
opportunity to target food waste and manage it separately from garbage. SPPS:
Serves 42,000 students that speak over 70 languages & dialects
Operates 253 schools & programs with over 6,500 faculty & staff
Prepares and serves 44,000 meals each school day or approximately 5.2 million meals in
a school year
In Fall 2005, SPPS embarked on a pilot food waste recycling program at four schools and its
Nutrition Center where 44,000 meals are prepared each school day. The pilot demonstrated the
effectiveness of food waste recycling as well as other benefits such as cost savings and increased
environmental awareness among students, faculty and staff.
In Fall 2006, SPPS partnered with the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Project and
the Saint Paul-Ramsey County Department of Public Health to implement district-wide cafeteria
food waste recycling in all elementary schools. By May 2007, the program was implemented at 52
SPPS sites:
47 elementary schools
2 grades K-8 schools
1 grades 7-12 alternative learning center
1 grades 9-12 alternative learning center
District Service Facility (Nutrition Center)
Over 22,500 students and 3,500 faculty and staff have been trained in food waste recycling and
will help continue the program. Food waste has been diverted from the garbage, which has helped
slow the rising costs of managing garbage and also yields side benefits such as increased cleanliness
and workers safety. SPPS accomplishments include:
Food Waste Volume Recovered in 2007 (calendar year)
14,942 barrels collected
Estimated to be 2,764,2700 lbs. or 1,382 tons of food waste
Garbage Dumpster Services Right Sized
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Garbage dumpster size and/or frequency of pick-ups reduced

Garbage dumpster volume (cubic yards) decreased by 39%
Garbage weight per cubic yard decreased by 17%
Garbage Compactor Waste Diverted
177 tons of food waste diverted from District Service Facility compactor
93 tons of food waste diverted from Rondo Education Center compactor
Garbage Cost Reduction Estimates
Garbage dumpster costs reduced by $11,248 per month (Sept. May)
Garbage dumpster costs reduced by $101,232 per school year ($11,248 x 9)
Garbage compactor disposal costs reduced by $9,083 per year
Other Benefits
In addition to cost savings, SPPS has experienced other benefits:
Improved workers safety because heavy garbage bags no longer need to be lifted into
garbage dumpsters
Increased cleanliness of operations due to elimination of liquid wastes (milk and juice)
from the garbage stream
Reduction in odor due to elimination of food waste from the garbage stream
Reduction in the use and maintenance costs of garbage disposals
Improved inventory management because food waste is separate and more visible to
foodservice employees
Awards
The SPPS food waste recycling program has earned two prestigious awards:
In April 2007, SPPS was one of the first recipients of the new Sustainable Saint Paul
Award for outstanding achievements in protecting and restoring the environment of the
City of Saint Paul.
In February 2008, SPPS and the Ramsey/Washington County Resource Recovery Project
received the 17th Annual Governors Award for Excellence in Waste & Pollution
Prevention for superior environmental achievement through innovative practices that
prevent pollution and waste, improve resource efficiency and lead to sustainability.
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how to use this guide

A Philosophical Approach
From the unprecedented, large-scale implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling at Saint
Paul Public Schools, came the opportunity to develop a Best Practices Guide to implement
cafeteria food waste recycling programs in K-12 schools.
The best practices in this Guide have been found to be the most efficient and effective methods
to implement cafeteria food waste recycling programs based on repeatable procedures proven
and tested on large numbers of elementary students, faculty and staff. These best practices are a
philosophical approach that will continually evolve based around continuous learning and continual
improvement as more K-12 schools in Ramsey and Washington Counties implement cafeteria food
waste recycling through livestock feeding programs.
Four Sections
The methods outlined in this Best Practices Guide are divided into four sections. Sections I through
III focus on the three phases that generally occur in the implementation of food waste recycling
in a school cafeteria: (1) planning phase; (2) implementation phase; and (3) evaluation phase.
Section IV is a discussion of how to implement food waste recycling in multiple K-12 schools on a
district-wide scale.

SECTION I: THE PLANNING PHASE

The planning phase is comprised of the activities that lead up to the Implementation of school
cafeteria food waste recycling. There are eleven steps in the planning phase:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

An Interested School
Is this School a Good Fit?
The VIP Meeting
On-Site Analysis
Equipment & Supplies
Establish a Garbage Baseline
Faculty & Staff Meeting
Student Service-Learning

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9.
10.
11.

All-School Assembly
Adult Volunteers
Parents & Guardians

Steps 1 and 2 are exploratory in response to an interest in food waste recycling expressed by a
specific school or school district. Steps 3 through 6 address the practical aspects of food waste
recycling daily operations and logistics. Steps 7, 8 and 9 are events that inform and educate
students, faculty and staff about the upcoming Implementation of food waste recycling and how it
will impact them on a daily basis. Steps 10 and 11 encourage the community to support a schools
efforts in making food waste recycling a success.
Two documents designed to help schools manage the implementation phase of cafeteria food waste
recycling are provided in Appendix 1:
Planning School Questionnaire
Planning Check List
These documents serve as a road map to the planning phase.

Step 1: An Interested School

When a school becomes interested in food waste recycling, the first step is to estimate the volume
of food waste the school generates and to determine if there is a livestock producer available to
provide the school food waste recycling services. To accomplish this, the following information is
required:
School location: the street address and County.
Building population: the total sum of student enrollment, faculty and staff.
Meals consumed per day: the total sum of breakfasts served, lunches served and bagged
lunches brought to school from home.
Number meals prepared per day: the total sum of meals prepared that are transported
and served at off-site locations.
Estimate of Food Waste Volume Generated
The following factors are used to estimate the volume of school food waste generated:
8.5 ounces of food waste (including milk & juice) generated per meal consumed
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3.5 ounces of food waste generated per meal prepared that are transported and served at
off-site locations
One 32-gallon barrel full of food waste (including milk & juice) weighs 185 pounds
Example
An elementary school has an enrollment of 625 students plus 80 faculty and staff (total building
population 705). The school cafeteria serves 70 breakfasts and 415 lunches per day and prepares
an additional 1,000 meals per day that are transported to three off-site locations. Students bring
175 bagged lunches from home. The following is an estimate of the daily food waste volume
generated:

Number of Meals
Consumed Per Day
Breakfast Served 70
Lunch Served 415
Bag Lunch 175

Estimated Amount of
Food Waste Generated
(8.5 ounces/meal consumed)
(660 x 8.5) 16 ounces/lb.
= 350 lbs./day

Total 660

Number of Meals Prepared

Per Day for Off-Site
Locations

Estimated Amount of
Food Waste Generated
(3.5 ounces/meal prepared)

1,000

(1,000 x 3.5) 16 ounces/lb.

= 219 lbs./day

Estimated Number of
Food Waste Barrels Filled
Per Day
(185 lbs. per barrel)

350 lbs. + 219 lbs. = 569 lbs.

569 lbs. 185 lbs./barrel =
3 barrels

Food Waste Recycling Services

The following criteria will determine if a livestock producer is available to provide food waste
recycling services to a school:
Estimated number of 32-gallon barrels filled with food waste per day
Existing route density in relation to the schools location
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Availability of route drivers to serve the school at least three days a week (serving fewer
than three days a week creates barrel odor problems due to milk spoilage)
Cooler storage for full barrels available at a school if route drivers cannot serve at least
three days a week
If a livestock producer determines that it can provide food waste recycling services to a school,
then the next step is to decide if cafeteria food waste recycling is a good fit for the school.

Step 2: Is this School a Good Fit?

There is no exact science as to what makes a school a good fit to implement cafeteria food
waste recycling. However, based on observation, the schools that have implemented highly
successful food waste recycling programs have at least one or more of the following attributes:
Adult leadership that will provide the structure needed for students to participate in the
program on a consistent basis. Ideally, this leadership starts with a supportive principal that
is committed to the success of food waste recycling, and this commitment trickles down to
faculty and staff. In lieu of a supportive principal, a school can operate a successful
program if the cafeteria supervisor and the head custodian are highly committed to the
program and are willing to take on the added responsibility of making it a success.
An environmental awareness among students, faculty and/or staff with a desire to
implement food waste recycling as a strategy to become more environmentally responsible
at school.
A financial incentive to explore how food waste recycling might reduce or slow the rising
costs of garbage hauling and disposal costs.
A cafeteria culture of student service-learning roles and responsibilities supported by
consistent adult leadership and expectations. Stonebridge Elementary School and
Community of Peace Academy are two examples of schools that offer students the
opportunity to serve while learning in the cafeteria and have implemented highly
successful food waste recycling programs.
Stonebridge Elementary School
Located in Washington County, Stonebridge Elementary School is one of ten elementary schools
in the Stillwater Area School District (ISD 834). Since the school opened in 1971, adult leadership
fostered a philosophy of student service to the Stonebridge school community. Over time, this
philosophy has evolved into a present-day culture of every day student service-learning roles and
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responsibilities at school.
The image to the left illustrates the student servicelearning culture in the cafeteria. Students volunteer to work
alongside cafeteria staff in the dish room to spray down dirty
trays and put them in the dishwasher. Students volunteer to
empty clean trays and silverware from the dishwasher, stack them
on carts and wheel them to the front of the cafeteria line.
Student table washers wipe off tabletops and seats.
Stonebridge, with a K-5 enrollment of 490 students, implemented
its food waste recycling program in November 2006. Adding
student roles and responsibilities to assist with the separation of food waste from garbage in the
cafeteria was easy. Student volunteers called recyclers monitor the food waste recycling
barrels, remove any contaminants such as milk cartons and paper napkins and wipe off the food
waste sorting table. Because of adult guidance and leadership, students have taken ownership of
the food waste recycling program and have made it a great success.
Community of Peace Academy
Founded in 1995, Community of Peace Academy is a preschool
and grades K-12 charter school located on the east side of Saint
Paul. Student service learning is built into the curriculum at
Community of Peace Academy. Faculty and staff emphasize
that students are a part of a school community, and members
of a community have responsibilities. One of these
responsibilities is to serve the communityfrom helping within
school to serving in the larger community outside of school.
With a student enrollment of 680, Community of Peace Academy serves four lunch periods a day.
The focal point of student service learning at lunchtime is a storage closet of cleaning supplies kept
in the center of the cafeteria (image above, right). Everyone in the schoolprincipal, faculty,
staff and studentsuse the
supplies to wash tables and
sweep the cafeteria floor after
each lunch period. Modeled by
adults and expected of the
students, children learn early on
that cleaning up after lunch is a
part of the culture of the
cafeteria and school community (I
mages to left).
Community of Peace Academy implemented a cafeteria food
waste recycling program in April 2007. During the first two
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weeks of the program, high school students supervised the food

waste sorting line and mentored younger students in separating
food waste from garbage (Image to right). By the end of two
weeks, students of all ages had caught on to the food waste
recycling program and high school mentors were no longer
needed at the food waste sorting line. Due to adult leadership
and expectations of students, a highly successful food waste
recycling program was quickly integrated into the
cafeteria culture at Community of Peace Academy.
If a school has at least one or all four of the attributes that make it a good fit to implement
cafeteria food waste recycling and a livestock producer can provide food waste recycling services,
then steps 3 through 6 will assist the school in planning for the daily operations and logistics of
cafeteria food waste recycling.

Step 3: The VIP Meeting

The VIP Meeting is a gathering of key school personnel that will be directly impacted by the daily
operations of cafeteria food waste recycling and includes, but are not limited to:
School principal
Cafeteria supervisor
Head custodian
The purpose of the VIP Meeting is to: (1) introduce the concept of food waste recycling; (2)
complete a planning questionnaire; and (3) begin to use the planning check list as a road map to
the planning phase. Planning documents are provided in Appendix 1.
Introduction to Food Waste Recycling
An efficient and effective way to introduce the concept of food waste recycling to key school
personnel is to view the 11 minute video entitled, Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling How to Turn
Elephants into Pigs! The video, produced in partnership by the Ramsey/Washington County
Resource Recovery Project and the Saint Paul Public Schools, has two versions:
Student Version
Student Version with Testimonials
The purpose of the student version is to educate elementary school students on how to sort food
waste from garbage in the cafeteria, how the farm truck picks up food waste at school and how
food waste is cooked and fed to pigs. While the video targets elementary-age students, it is
entertaining and informative and will hold the attention of secondary-age students.
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The goal of the student version with testimonials is to inform school personnel about the many
educational, financial and operational benefits of food waste recycling through the unique
perspectives of two elementary school principals, a head custodian and a cafeteria supervisor. It
is recommended that key school personnel view the student version with testimonials at the VIP
Meeting.
The video is available on DVD and a copy can be obtained by contacting the Ramsey/
Washington County Resource Recovery Project at 651-266-8500 or email
contactramseycounty@co.ramsey.mn.us.
Planning Questionnaire
The purpose of the planning questionnaire is to document existing cafeteria operations that will
impact the implementation of food waste recycling and is provided in Appendix 1. An explanation
to the significance of each question is provided in italics.
Planning Check List
The planning check list is a tool to help schools chart their progress through the eleven step
planning process before the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling and is provided in
Appendix 1.

Step 4: On-Site Analysis

The on-site analysis is a walk through and assessment of the: (1) cafeteria layout and how best to
configure a food waste recycling sort line for students; (2) storage space for food waste barrels;
and (3) shipping and receiving logistics for the farm truck.
Cafeteria Layout & Food Waste Recycling Sort Line
The purpose of a food waste recycling sort line is to provide students a safe, clean and convenient
way to sort and separate a variety of leftover materials in the cafeteria including, but not limited
to:
Reusable silverware & trays
Unopened food items for reuse (e.g., cartons of milk, containers of juice, etc.)
Food waste
Milk & juice waste
Paper & plastic packaging waste
All other waste (including plastic silverware & Styrofoam trays)
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The cafeteria layout, student traffic flow patterns, available space, the mix of leftover materials
and the order in which they are to be sorted and placed in separate containers will determine the
configuration of the sort line.
The development of food waste recycling sort lines is in its infancy. Summarized in Table 1, three
types of sort line configurations have emerged to date: (1) T-sort line; (2) L-sort line; and (3)
single line sort. The types of surfaces for students to set their trays on while separating food waste
from garbage is the foundation of these sort lines and include: (1) student desks; (2) a sorting
table; or (3) a sorting cabinet.
The use of student desks is the easiest and cheapest way to create a sort line. Sorting tables and
cabinets must be designed and built and can be made from a variety of materials such as pressed
wood with plastic laminate, countertop laminate, and stainless steel. Photos of the sort line
configurations described in Table 1 are provided in Appendix 2.

Table 1.
Food Waste Recycling Sort Line Configurations1

Sort Line
Configuration

Student Desk

Sorting Table

Sorting Cabinet

T-sort line

2-hole table

3-hole cabinet

L-sort line

3 desks

Single line sort

2 desks

1-hole table
2-hole table

2-hole cabinet

1See

Appendix 2 for photos of each sort line configuration.

Storage Space for Barrels

Farms provide 32-gallon barrels on wheels with lids to collect food waste generated by schools.
When barrels are empty, they can be vertically stacked. When barrels are full, they must be
individually stored in between pick-up days.
For security reasons and to prevent vandalism, food waste barrels are generally stored inside
the school building and may or may not be staged outside on pick-up days. The total amount of
internal storage space needed to store barrels will depend on the number of full barrels that are
generated between pick-up days. Ideally, this storage space is located adjacent to the kitchen and
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shipping and receiving area. The amount of space required to store a 32-gallon food waste barrel
with a lid is approximately 26 square x 32 high.
Shipping & Receiving Logistics
Farm trucks are equipped with lift gaits and can collect food waste at either loading dock or
ground level. During the walk through, any unique circumstances to the schools shipping and
receiving logistics should be noted, and the livestock feeding service provider should be notified as
soon as possible to assure that service can be provided.

Step 5: Equipment & Supplies

Table 2 lists the equipment and supplies typically required to implement school cafeteria food
waste recycling. Long-handled tongs are used to remove milk cartons or non-food items from
food waste barrels. Squeegees are used to keep sorting area surfaces clean. Student helpers use
reusable aprons and disposable gloves.
If a school chooses to use a sorting table or cabinet, it will need to plan ahead to have it designed
and built in time for the scheduled program implementation date. A diagram and photos of the
food waste sorting table built by Saint Paul Public Schools and used in a variety of food waste
recycling sort line configurations are provided in Appendix 3.
Table 2.
Food Waste Recycling Equipment & Supplies

Equipment

Supplies

Student desks
or
Sorting table
or
Sorting cabinet

Long-handled tongs
Squeegees
Reusable aprons
Disposable gloves

Examples
The sorting table built by Saint Paul Public Schools is a standard,
3 x 6 pressed wood table with a plastic laminate surface that
can be ordered from a school furniture supply catalog. The legs
are 36 adjustable set at 33 high to accommodate the height of
a 32-gallon barrel on wheels (32 high). There is a support
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stringer fastened underneath the table in addition to 2 x 2

barrel guides that keep the barrels in position under the table
openings.
The sorting table built by White Bear Lake Area Schools is made of a countertop laminate. It has a
center hinge so that it can be folded in half for compact storage and is on wheels that can lock in
place.

Step
6: Establish a Garbage Baseline

Most schools manage their trash loose in garbage dumpsters as opposed to compacting it in garbage
compactors. Usually, the cost for trash dumpster pick-up service is a flat monthly rate based
on dumpster volume (measured in cubic yards), frequency of pick-ups and the weight of trash
(measured in pounds per cubic yard). Embedded in a schools monthly dumpster service charge is
the garbage haulers cost to haul garbage to a disposal facility (haul charge per cubic yard of trash)
and the cost to tip garbage or weigh it in on a disposal facility scale (tip fee per ton of trash).
The greater the volume and weight of school garbage, the more expensive are garbage dumpster
services.
A garbage baseline before cafeteria food waste recycling is implemented helps a school understand
how its garbage services and costs can be right sized to the residual garbage stream left after
food waste has been diverted from garbage. A garbage baseline consists of planning:
Garbage dumpster service costs
Garbage volume generated (cubic yards)
Garbage weight per cubic yard
Cafeteria food waste recycling diverts wet, heavy food waste from loose trash in garbage
dumpsters with two possible outcomes: (1) a reduction in garbage volume; and (2) a reduction in
garbage weight. While a reduction in garbage weight always occurs, a reduction in garbage volume
may not. For example, if a school routinely uses disposable Styrofoam trays, which contribute
significant volume to the garbage stream, a reduction in garbage volume may not occur.
Planning Garbage Service Costs
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The cost to manage loose garbage in dumpsters is based on the size and number of garbage
dumpsters and the frequency of collection service. To determine the type of dumpster service a
school receives, gather the following information from the current garbage hauler and monthly
garbage bills:

Number of
Garbage Dumpsters

1Ask

Size of Garbage Dumpsters1

(cubic yards)

Number of
Pick-Ups Per Month2

the current hauler.

2Ask

the current hauler which days of the week the school receives service (M, Tu, W, Th, F, Sa, Su). The number of pickups per month is the number of pick-ups per week multiplied by 4.33.

From a schools garbage bills, calculate the following:

Cubic Yards
Garbage Per Month1

Collection Service
Charge Per Month

State Tax
(17%)

County
Environmental
Charge2
(53% or 39.5%)

Total Monthly
Garbage Costs

(A)

1Size

of garbage dumpster x Number of garbage dumpsters x Number of pick-ups per month.

2The

County Environmental Charge is 53% in Ramsey County and 39.5% in Washington County.

The current monthly cost of garbage dumpster service =

(A)

Pre-Implementation Garbage Volume

To baseline garbage volume, a visual garbage volume survey is conducted at least two weeks
before the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling. A sample survey form is provided
in Appendix 4. Survey data is collected by recording on the survey form how full the dumpster
visually appears (1/4 full, half full, full, etc.) just before it is emptied by a garbage hauler. A
custodian may record visual survey data at one of two times: (1) at the end of the night shift; or
(2) at the beginning of the day shift before the hauler empties the garbage dumpster.
Pre-Implementation Garbage Weight Per Cubic Yard
To baseline garbage weight per cubic yard, request an estimated weight per cubic yard of garbage
from the schools garbage hauler. If the hauler does not have this information, the hauler may
agree to weigh the schools garbage dumpster before the implementation of cafeteria food waste
recycling by using the following method:
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Weigh the garbage dumpster on pick-up day

Record how full the dumpster is (1/4 full, half full, full, etc.)
Calculate a weight per cubic yard of garbage in the dumpster

Step 7: Faculty & Staff Meeting

The purpose of the faculty and staff meeting is to inform and educate adults about the upcoming
implementation of food waste recycling and how it will impact them on a daily basis. A suggested
format for the meeting is to:
View the student version with testimonials of the 11-minute video entitled, Cafeteria Food
Waste Recycling How to Turn Elephants into Pigs!
Have an open discussion among faculty and staff to ask questions and express any concerns
about food waste recycling logistics and daily operations.
Emphasize the importance of adult leadership to the implementation of food waste recycling
and identify student service-learning roles and responsibilities and discuss how they may be
implemented.

Step 8: Student Service-Learning

Based on observation, the most successful cafeteria food waste recycling programs are those
where adults create a framework for students to participate in and take ownership of the program
through service-learning roles and responsibilities. Experience has shown that most students
easily understand and readily embrace food waste recycling because it empowers them to help the
environment in a very simple wayby feeding pigs their leftover food waste at school.
Most students want to help food waste recycling become a successful part of daily cafeteria
operations. All they need is adult leadership to show them how to help through service learning
roles and responsibilities. Cafeteria food waste recycling offers a variety of service-learning
opportunities for students throughout the school year. Examples include:
Assisting at the food waste sort line during breakfast and lunch
Leadership roles for older students mentoring and educating younger students
Special projects for student groups such as student council

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Once faculty and staff have identified student service-learning roles and responsibilities that will
work best for their school, a way to introduce these opportunities to students is at the all-school
assembly.

Step 9: All-School Assembly

The goal of the all-school assembly is to inform and educate students about food waste recycling
and to show them how to separate their food waste from garbage after breakfast and lunch.
Holding two assemblies, one for grades K-2 and a second one for grades 3-5, works very well. A
suggested format is to:
Plan for a 40-minute assembly.
Hold the assembly the last Friday before the implementation of food waste recycling the
following Monday.
View the student version of the 11-minute video entitled, Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling
How to Turn Elephants into Pigs!
Conduct a food waste sorting demonstration.
Introduce opportunities for service-learning roles and responsibilities to students.
Set aside five minutes for student questions at the end of the assembly.
The purpose of the food waste sorting demonstration is for students to role-play how they would
separate their food waste from garbage after breakfast and lunch. The food waste recycling sort
line is set up as it would appear in the cafeteria, and student volunteers are selected from the
audience to assist in showing the audience while explaining how to sort food waste from garbage.
Set Up for All-School Assembly
The set-up to conduct an all-school assembly includes:
Audio visual equipment for students to see and hear the video such as a laptop, projector,
screen, speakers and microphone.
Food waste recycling sort line for sorting demonstration including blue food waste barrel,
grey garbage barrels, student desks/sorting table/sorting cabinet and share table for
unopened food items. One extra plastic liner placed inside of the blue food waste barrel so
that food from the sorting demonstration can be thrown away without dirtying the original
liner in the blue barrel.
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Trays of leftover food, beverages and packaging for sorting demonstrations. Two trays for
breakfast, two trays for lunch and one bag lunch from home placed on a wheeled cart works
well.
Long-handled tongs, squeegees and other equipment that might be used to maintain
cleanliness of the food waste recycling sort line.

Step 10: Adult Volunteers

Adult volunteers are needed to assist in the cafeteria during the implementation of cafeteria food
waste recycling. Volunteers standing at the food waste recycling sort line help students learn how
to separate food waste from garbage after breakfast and lunch.
Volunteers are needed during breakfast and lunch the entire first week of the program
implementation and may include:
County and City staff volunteers
Parent & guardian volunteers
Community volunteers
One way to recruit adult volunteers is to inform parents and guardians about the implementation of
food waste recycling at school.

Step 11: Parents & Guardians

Parents and guardians can be a great source of support for cafeteria food waste recycling.
Informing parents and guardians during the planning phase creates interest and enthusiasm from
home and can support students efforts in making the program a success at school. Ways to notify
parents and guardians about the implementation of food waste recycling are to:
Send a parent/guardian letter home
Include an article in the school newsletter
Add information on the school web site
A sample parent/guardian letter and newsletter article are provided in Appendix 5.

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SECTION II: IMPLEMENTATION PHASE

The implementation phase of cafeteria food waste recycling is a two-month period beginning
with the implementation week and ending with the completion of a garbage volume survey. The
implementation phase has two goals: (1) to anchor the food waste recycling program into the
schools daily operations so that it becomes a long-term, sustainable practice for students, faculty
and staff; and (2) to determine if there has been a reduction in garbage volume and/or a reduction
in garbage weight per cubic yard.
Implementation Week
The goal of implementation week is to help students make the transition into separating food
waste from garbage with ease and efficiency in the cafeteria. Implementation week is the first
five days the program is implemented. Ideally, this is Monday through Friday of a five-day school
week without interruptions due to non-school days. To help schools manage the first week of
cafeteria food waste recycling, an implementation week check list is provided in Appendix 6.
Based on observation, implementation week is pretty easy and goes fairly well due to prior
planning and the presence of many adult volunteers in the cafeteria during breakfast and lunch.
The greater challenge for a school occurs during weeks two, three and beyond when adult
volunteers are no longer available. During this time, the need for a school to trouble-shoot and
problem solve is very common.
Trouble-Shoot & Problem Solve
Even with the best planning and preparation possible, there may be unexpected opportunities
to improve the food waste recycling program once it has been implemented. Many schools have
found that being open to trouble-shoot and problem solve their food waste recycling programs has
helped their programs evolve into a long-term, sustainable practice for students, faculty and staff.
The following cafeteria strategies represent a growing body of knowledge accumulated by Ramsey
and Washington County schools in an effort to improve the food waste recycling programs they
implemented.
Cafeteria Strategies
Based on observation, there is no right or wrong way to set up and implement food waste recycling
in a school cafeteria. While there is some science to the process as provided in this Guide, there
is certainly a significant amount of cafeteria art brought to the project as evidenced by the
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following strategies.
The order in which leftover breakfast and lunch materials are separated can create an
effective food waste recycling sort line that allows students to separate food waste from
garbage with ease and efficiency. Many schools have discovered that the following sorting
order for leftover materials works well:
1. Unopened items placed on a share table
2. Leftover milk poured in a small pail (periodically transfer the milk from the pail to the
food waste barrel)
3. Reusable silverware placed in a pan of soapy water
4. Garbage placed in a garbage barrel
5. Food waste placed in food waste barrel
6. Any remaining garbage placed in a second garbage barrel
7. Reusable tray stacked on a cart or placed in the dish room window
Prevent student traffic jams at the food waste recycling sort line. Configure the sort line
so that students can form two lines to gain access to the sort line and separate food waste.
Student dismissal strategies can prevent traffic jams at the sort line. Turn cafeteria lights
off and announce that tables will be dismissed soon and students should prepare the items
on their trays for sorting such as removing packaging and opening milk cartons (if they dont
set unopened items on a share table). A staggered dismissal strategy can prevent a back-up
of students at the sort line.
Students do not need to miss instructional time to help at the food waste sort line in the
cafeteria. Lunch periods can be scheduled so that a mix of younger and older grades has
lunch together so that older students can mentor younger students. Examples
include.(ask Jenny how this works).
Kindergarten and first grade students will need the most assistance at the food waste
recycling sort line. Daily adult assistance will be needed to help these students at the sort
line, especially at the beginning of the school year.
Food prep waste generated by cafeteria staff in the kitchen can be collected and placed in
food waste barrels. It may be most efficient to collect food prep waste in smaller
containers and transfer it to the food waste barrels the students use.

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Garbage disposal use will decrease significantly in the kitchen and may be able to be
eliminated, conserving water use and electricity.
A food waste barrel is considered full when it is filled with food waste to the bottom of the
barrel handle. Filling the barrel over the bottom of the handle mark creates a top-heavy
barrel that could spill when transferred from the cafeteria to the storage and pick-up area.
Limit barrel odor by placing a plastic liner on top of the barrel and closing the lid down on
the plastic liner to create an air tight seal around the barrel.
Plastic liners may slide down into new food waste barrels when they become full of food
because: (1) there is an air lock inside the barrel; and/or (2) the plastic surface is slippery
because the barrels are new. Punch a hole in the plastic liner to prevent a possible air lock,
and rub the rim of a new barrel with sand paper to create a texture for the plastic liner to
adhere to.
Garbage Volume Survey
To determine if the implementation of food waste recycling has reduced garbage volume, a visual
garbage volume survey is conducted for two months after implementation week. The method to
conduct this survey is the same as the pre-implementation garbage volume survey, and the same
survey form provided in Appendix 4 is used.
Survey data is collected by recording on the survey form how full the dumpster visually appears (1/
4 full, half full, full, etc.) just before it is emptied by a garbage hauler. A custodian may record
visual survey data at one of two times: (1) at the end of the night shift; or (2) at the beginning of
the day shift before the hauler empties the garbage dumpster.
At the end of two months after implementation week, there is enough survey data to determine if
a reduction in garbage volume occurred. The survey data is used to right size garbage dumpster
services in the evaluation phase.
Garbage Weight Per Cubic Yard
To determine if the implementation of food waste recycling has reduced garbage weight per cubic
yard in the dumpster, the hauler may agree to weigh the schools garbage dumpster after the
implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling by using the following method:
Weight the garbage dumpster on pick-up day
Record how full the dumpster is (1/4 full, half full, full, etc.)
Calculate a weight per cubic yard of garbage in the dumpster
The garbage weight per cubic yard after the implementation is used to right size garbage service
costs in the evaluation phase.
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SECTION III: EVALUATION PHASE

Evaluation is the final phase of implementing a cafeteria food waste recycling program. There
are three goals to the evaluation phase: (1) to right size garbage services by reducing garbage
dumpster size and/or frequency of pick-ups; (2) to right size garbage service costs; and (3) to
present the many educational, financial and operational benefits of food waste recycling to key
administrative personnel at the top.
Right Size Garbage Services
Garbage services can be right sized if the implementation of food waste recycling has reduced
garbage volume. A reduction in garbage volume can have the following impact on garbage
services: (1) a decrease in garbage dumpster size; and/or (2) a decrease in the frequency of
garbage dumpster pick-ups. The results of the garbage volume survey conducted for two months
after implementation week will reveal if garbage volume has decreased and if garbage services can
be right sized.
Example
An elementary school has one six-cubic-yard garbage dumpster picked up three times a week on
Monday, Wednesday and Friday. The results of the schools two-month garbage volume survey
after implementation week are summarized in Table 3.
Table 3.
Two-Month Garbage Volume Survey Data Results

Program
Week

Implementation
Week
Week 2
Week 3
Week 4
Week 5

Monday
Garbage Volume

Wednesday
Garbage Volume

Friday
Garbage Volume

full
3 cubic yards

Full
6 cubic yards

full
3 cubic yards

full
1.5 cubic yards
full
1.5 cubic yards
full
3 cubic yards
full
1.5 cubic yards

Full
6 cubic yards
full
4.5 cubic yards
Full
6 cubic yards
Full
6 cubic yards

full
3 cubic yards
Full
6 cubic yards
full
4.5 cubic yards
full
4.5 cubic yards

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Total Weekly
Garbage Volume
(cubic yards)
12

10.5
12
13.5
12

Week 6
Week 7
Week 8

1/8 full
0.75 cubic yards
full
1.5 cubic yards
full
1.5 cubic yards

full
4.5 cubic yards
Full
6 cubic yards
Full
6 cubic yards

Full
6 cubic yards
full
4.5 cubic yards
Full
6 cubic yards

Average

11.25
12
13.5
12

While the school purchases 18 cubic yards of capacity a week to manage its garbage (6-cubicyard dumpster x 3 pick-ups per week), the survey data indicates that the school only generates an
average of 12-cubic-yards of garbage a week. The right size garbage services for the school is
to purchase 12-cubic-yards of dumpster capacity a week or a 6-cubic-yard dumpster picked up two
times a week. Table 4 summarizes the right size garbage services indicated from the garbage
volume survey results.
Table 4.
Right Size Garbage Services

Garbage Services

Weekly Garbage
Dumpster Capacity

Original
Before food waste recycling
implementation

6-cubic-yard dumpster
Pick-up days: M,W,F

18 cubic yards

Right Size
After food waste recycling
implementation

6-cubic-yard dumpster
Pick-up days: T, F

12 cubic yards

There are special circumstances when a reduction in garbage volume may not occur due to
cafeteria food waste recycling. These include:
The daily use of one-time-use Styrofoam trays for breakfast and lunch, which create a
significant daily volume of garbage that, does not change when food waste is diverted from
the garbage stream.
The garbage dumpster was overflowing with garbage before the implementation of cafeteria
food waste recycling, and the residual garbage volume left after food waste is diverted from
the garbage stream is the right fit for the original weekly garbage dumpster capacity.
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The schools garbage dumpster is shared with another large waste generator such as a park
and recreation program that operates evenings and week ends. When another large waste
generator contributes to a schools garbage dumpster, the residual garbage volume left
after food waste is diverted does not significantly reduce to the point where garbage
services can be right sized.
Student enrollment in the school has increased, which increases garbage volume generated
overall at a greater rate than diverting food waste from the garbage stream has decreased
garbage volume.
Whether or not garbage volume is reduced, cafeteria food waste recycling always decreases
garbage weight per cubic yard and offers the opportunity for a school to work with its hauler
to right size its garbage service costs.
Right Size Garbage Service Costs
Garbage service costs can be right sized if the implementation of food waste recycling has
reduced: (1) garbage volume; and/or (2) garbage weight per cubic yard. A reduction in garbage
volume will reduce the amount of garbage dumpster capacity a school needs to purchase, and
a reduction in garbage weight per cubic yard lightens the load and reduces the cost per cubic
yard a hauler will have to pay a disposal facility to dispose of the schools garbage. The following
information will help a school right size its garbage service costs:
Pre-Implementation Baseline
Garbage dumpster service costs
Garbage volume survey results
Garbage weight per cubic yard
Two-Month Implementation
Garbage volume survey after implementation week
Post-Implementation
Garbage weight per cubic yard: the hauler may agree to weigh the schools garbage
dumpster after the implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling to estimate a reduced
post-implementation weight per cubic yard of garbage.
To right size garbage service costs, a school may choose to informally negotiate with its hauler or
proceed with a formal bid process and a new hauler service contract. Both strategies will require
the support and involvement of key administrative personnel at the top.
All Roads Lead to the Top
From a request by an involved parent to a directive from the superintendents office, there are
a variety of ways in which a school might initiate the implementation of a cafeteria food waste
recycling program that ends with the opportunity to right size garbage service costs. Regardless
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of how the implementation gets started, the long-term sustainability of the many benefits of
the program depends on a full understanding of the educational, financial, operational and
environmental benefits of food waste recycling by key administrative personnel at the top.
Without the leadership and support from the superintendent and administrative staff in the
business, financial, operations and purchasing departments, the longevity of cafeteria food
waste recycling will be at risk. For example, a supportive principal committed to the success
of food waste recycling might be reassigned to a different school or a head custodian that is
highly committed to the program might go on an extended leave of absence. Top administrative
personnel will provide long-term consistency and continuity to the schools food waste recycling
program. A direct line of communication about the many educational, financial, operational and
environmental outcomes of food waste recycling from an individual school to top administrative
personnel is invaluable and may lead to a district-wide implementation of food waste recycling in
all school cafeterias.

SECTION IV: DISTRICT-WIDE IMPLEMENTATION OF FOOD WASTE RECYCLING

The district-wide implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling in multiple K-12 schools is
a macro-implementation of the three implementation phases described in Sections I through III
of this Guide. A macro-implementation includes: (1) district-wide meetings that inform, educate
and persuade key groups of district personnel about the many benefits of food waste recycling;
(2) the development of a district-wide implementation plan to provide overall coordination to the
planning, implementation and evaluation phases executed at each school; and (3) a district-wide
purchasing strategy to right size garbage service costs and procure food waste recycling services.
District-Wide Meetings
The purpose of district-wide meetings is to inform, educate, and in some cases persuade, key
groups of district personnel about the many benefits of cafeteria food waste recycling starting
with:
Principals
Head building engineers & custodians
Cafeteria supervisors & nutrition services staff
The agenda for district-wide meetings is similar to the faculty and staff meeting described in step 7
of the planning phase: (1) introduce the concept of food waste recycling; (2) outline the planning,
implementation and evaluation implementation phases; and (3) conduct an open discussion for
district personnel to ask questions and express any concerns about food waste recycling logistics
and daily operations.
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District-Wide Implementation Plan

The district-wide implementation plan is the tool to provide overall coordination of the planning,
implementation and evaluation phases at multiple schools. Two documents provided in this Guide
will assist in developing the plan:
The planning check list provided in Appendix 1
The implementation week check list provided in Appendix 6
The following strategies will help in developing the district-wide implementation plan:
Schedule implementation weeks after October 1 and 30 days before the last day of the
school year. With the start of a new school year, September is a difficult month to
implement food waste recycling. Thirty days before the end of the school year is the
minimum amount of time students need to transition to food waste recycling before the
school year ends.
Work closely with the livestock feeding service provider to implement schools in a
geographical order throughout the school district that mirrors the geography of the livestock
producers existing route density. This will help minimize food waste recycling service costs.
Develop a district-wide calendar of the various VIP meetings, on-site analyses, faculty &
staff meetings and all-school assemblies that lead up to implementation week for each
school.
Order equipment & supplies and include delivery dates on the district-wide calendar.
Inform parents & guardians about the district-wide implementation through district
newsletters and web site.
Develop a method to track garbage volume survey data and right size garbage services at
all schools.
District-Wide Purchasing Strategy
The district-wide implementation of cafeteria food waste recycling may result in opportunities
to right size garbage service costs and create a need to formalize the procurement of food waste
recycling services through a service contract.

APPENDICES
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Planning Documents

Food Waste Recycling Sort Line Photos

Food Waste Sorting Table Diagram & Photos

Garbage Volume Survey Form

Parent/Guardian Letter & Newsletter Article

Implementation Week Checklist

APPENDIX 1
Planning Documents

School Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling

Planning Questionnaire
Does the cafeteria use Styrofoam trays and plastic silverware on a daily or routine basis? If
yes, how often and why? If yes, do students stack Styrofoam trays after use?
Routine use of Styrofoam trays take up significant space in a schools garbage dumpster. The
use of dumpster space is economized if students stack the trays. If Styrofoam trays are used
routinely; food waste recycling will reduce the weight of garbage but not significantly reduce
garbage volume.
Do students pour beverage waste (milk and juice) into a pail? If yes, is the beverage waste
poured down the drain? If no, does the liquid waste end up in the garbage dumpster along with
all cafeteria garbage?
Students will pour their milk and juice waste into food waste recycling barrels. Custodians will
no longer need to empty pails of liquid waste down the drain or have to manage liquid leaking
outside of plastic garbage bags onto the floor or inside of garbage dumpsters. Garbage dumpster
odor will significantly decrease.
Do students place unopened food items (e.g., cartons of milk, containers of juice, packaged
cookies and crackers, etc.) on a share table for other students to eat or drink?
If no, the schools nutrition services department may want to research this strategy to reuse
unopened food items and reduce waste.
Are 32-gallon grey barrels used for garbage in the cafeteria?
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If a school decides to use a food waste sorting table or sorting cabinet in the cafeteria, it will
need 32-gallon grey barrels for garbage to fit under the table or inside the cabinet.
Does the school have a loading dock or a street level service door for shipping and receiving
activities? Are there any unique challenges for truck access to the shipping and receiving area?
The farm truck is equipped with a lift gait and can accommodate loading dock and street level
shipping and receiving. A livestock feeding service provider should be informed of any unique
challenges to obtain access to serve the school as soon as possible.

School Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling

Planning Check List
Estimate the volume of food waste generated per school day measured by
barrels per day.

32-gallon

Determine if a livestock feeding service provider can serve the school at least 3 days per
week and is available to start service on
.
Identify at least one of the attributes that make a good fit for the school to launch
cafeteria food waste recycling:
Adult leadership
Environmental awareness
Financial incentive
Cafeteria culture of student service learning
Conduct a VIP Meeting (principal, cafeteria supervisor, head custodian)
Watch Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling video
Complete Planning Questionnaire
Conduct an on-site analysis & assess:
Cafeteria layout & food waste recycling sort line
Storage space for food waste barrels
Shipping & receiving logistics (notify livestock feeding service
provider of any unique circumstances as soon as possible)
Choose one of the following for the food waste recycling sort line:
Student desks
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Sorting table
Sorting cabinet
Order sorting table or cabinet. Identify delivery date below (need for all-school
assembly).
Sorting table delivered by:
Sorting cabinet delivered by:

Page 1
Order supplies to be delivered by

(need for Launch Week):

Long-handled tongs
Squeegees
Reusable aprons
Disposable gloves
32-gallon grey barrels (for sort table or cabinet only)
Establish a garbage baseline
Garbage dumpster service cost
Garbage volume in cubic yards
Garbage weight per cubic yard
Conduct a faculty & staff meeting
Watch Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling video
Discuss food waste recycling logistics & daily operations
Create service-learning roles and responsibilities for students
Helpers at the food waste sort line during breakfast
Helpers at the food waste sort line during lunch
Older student mentors for younger students
Special projects for student groups such as student council
Other leadership roles:
Conduct an all-school assembly
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Watch Cafeteria Food Waste Recycling video

Conduct a food waste sorting demonstration
Recruit adult volunteers to help during Launch Week
County & City staff volunteers
Parent & guardian volunteers
Community volunteers
Inform parents & guardians about the launch of food waste recycling
Send a parent/guardian letter home
Include an article in the school newsletter
Add information on the school web site
Page 2
Appendix 2: Food Waste Recycling Sort Line Photos

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