Princeton University’s new biodigester makes food scraps sustainable – 8 January 2019

Published Jan 11, 2019

Along with local government officials, the Princeton University sustainability team, and members of the New Jersey Chapter of the US Composting Council, of which EcoRich is a member, EcoRich’s Charles Nouhan attended the official opening of the new For Solutions aerobic in-vessel rotary drum food waste composting system at Princeton University, New Jersey, on Tuesday 8 January.

The preceding photo shows Princeton University Vice President for Facilities KyuJung Whang as he cuts the ribbon on a new biodigester, which converts food scraps from kitchen waste into nutrient-rich compost. Standing to Whang’s left is Nicholas Smith-Sebasto, founder and executive chairman of FOR Solutions, which manufactured the aerobic digester machine. Also helping cut the ribbon is Princeton’s Director of Sustainability Shana Weber (second from right) and Gina Talt (far right), who oversees day-to-day operations at the biodigester, seeing that food waste and food scraps from campus kitchens and dining halls are brought to the machine to be composted.

Through a partnership between the Princeton University Facilities and Campus Dining departments, the aerobic digester machine converts food waste from Frist Campus Center dining hall waste and other campus cafe food waste into compost. The project team plans to collect scraps from more campus dining locations and events this year. Come spring, the compost will be tested as a natural soil improvement on University lawns. The biodigester is one of the many examples of sustainable food, landscape and waste management at Princeton University.

EcoRich founder, Manish Desai, added: “EcoRich welcomes all methods for diverting campus dining food waste into the mix of composting solutions that will gain more and more value from food waste. I congratulate Dr. Nick and Princeton University for taking this bold step. While there is a wide range of options for dealing with the growing problem of institutional food waste, and while no one-size fits all, the For Solutions method looks to be a good fit for Princeton.”

EcoRich’s Sustainability Advisor Charles Nouhan added: “EcoRich, working with the NJ Composting Council, is really pleased to see that member Nicholas Smith-Sebasto’s demonstration project at Princeton has gotten off to such a promising start. There was a great turn-out for the launch, and we look forward to hearing more from Dr. Nick about how the project progresses.”

Want to know more about this event, what else is happening in the growing food-waste composting industry, particularly with college campus dining hall solutions, and how EcoRich can help you meet your food waste disposal needs? Contact Charles Nouhan at charles@ecorichenv.com or +1 201 674-7088.