Not going to finish those fries?
No problem.
Rob Doletzky, U-M grounds services supervisor, describes composting processes while at the composting site at Plant Building and Grounds Services.
Melanie Maxwell I AnnArbor.com
The pilot began in August and will last through Nov. 21. It's taking place at the Michigan League, where there's a coffee shop, catering and two fast food restaurants. Food collected in compost bins there will be composted at the City of Ann Arbor's compost site.
After the pilot, U-M will decide whether to implement post-consumer composting throughout campus. U-M already participates in pre-consumer composting and has composted an estimated 870 tons of waste since 1998.
"The pilot is in response to student inquiry to see if it's feasible on our campus — to determine the challenges we would face in rolling out campuswide — as well the true financial costs," Tracy Artley, a U-M sustainability program coordinator, explained in a release.
In 2011 U-M President Mary Sue Coleman pledged to reduce waste sent to landfills by 40 percent at U-M. Composting would help the school meet that goal.
Kellie Woodhouse covers higher education for AnnArbor.com. Reach her at kelliewoodhouse@annarbor.com or 734-623-4602 and follow her on twitter.