Food scrap composting pilot expands to include compostable packaging
Foodservice Packaging Institute’s communication and training support was key to engaging educators, food staff, and students
Nearly 2,800 students in six elementary schools in the Henderson County Public School District participated in the success of a pilot composting program that began in 2019. The initiative came together in partnership with Foodservice Packaging Institute (FPI), which aimed to reduce the amount of food scraps that would be destined for the landfill, and instead divert those nutrient-rich food scraps for composting.
Students actively participated in sorting their lunch waste into designated trash and compost bins. In addition to food scraps, the county's school composting program includes items like compostable paper trays, containers, and napkins.
The FPI, the trade association for the foodservice packaging industry in North America, plays an active role in the recovery of foodservice packaging items and representatives were excited to share the success of the initiative, highlighting the significant strides made in waste diversion within the school community.
"We were excited to partner with Henderson County Solid Waste and Henderson County Public Schools in FPI's first school composting partnership to boost their composting program," said Natha Dempsey, president of the FPI. "The school district's success demonstrates that a well-designed composting program for food scraps and packaging can offer a significant opportunity to reduce materials going to landfills while educating students about the importance of waste diversion."
FPI provided Henderson County Schools a communications grant that was used to provide crucial support throughout various stages of the program. Initially, the grant facilitated the creation of training materials for cafeteria and custodian staff. Back-of-house training and over-bin signage were implemented to ensure that those integral to the program understood the importance of proper waste sorting.
As the program evolved, FPI's communications grant expanded its support to engage students and teachers directly. This included the development of a Teacher Training Guide, over-bin signs in the cafeteria with kid-friendly messaging, and vibrant stickers for kids designed to inspire active participation in waste diversion. The stickers featured a "Super Sorter" superhero theme to inject an element of fun into the educational process.
"The pilot composting program diverted 38.27 tons in 2021-2022 and 47.64 tons in 2022-2023. However, some non-compostable items were mistakenly included, while compostable items like fibre trays and napkins were discarded," explained Robert Rolfe, Henderson County Public Schools Director of Child Nutrition. "Partnering with FPI has helped us reinforce handling protocols for organics and packaging, streamlining an effective program for students and staff."
