Food Services: Case Studies

Food Waste and Composting

Brown Creek Correction Institute In-Vessel Food Residuals Composting, North Carolina, 1999
Brown Creek Correction Institute used an in-vessel system to compost an average of 1615 lb. per day, which is applied to Brown Creek’s grounds and vegetable gardens, and saves approximately $30,000 annually.

Fletcher Allen Health Care, Vermont, 1998
The Medical Center Hospital of Vermont (MCHV) Campus of Fletcher Allen Health Care implemented a food discard recovery program which saved approximately $1,400 per year in landfill hauling and tipping fees and supported a local farm. They delivered approximately 90% of their food preparation scraps and steam table leftovers to an off-site composting facility. The hospital also donated produce to a food bank and sent old grease to a rendering facility.

University of New Hampshire Compost Program, 2006
UNH staff collected between 25,000 - 40,000 pounds of food and organic waste from dining areas, per month, during the academic year, and used onsite windrows to compost approximately 200,000 pounds annually, which was then sold to local farmers.

Food Service Case Studies

Duke University Green Dining Program, North Carolina, 2004
In fall 2004, Duke University conducted an inventory of environmental impacts associated with campus dining services, including 23 privately-owned eateries. The case study recommends strategies for implementing green dining services based on the environmental inventory.

Multnomah County Correctional Facilities, Portland 2004
This pilot project redirected approximately $30,000 in food purchases to the local food economy.

Food Serviceware Case Studies

See the Responsible Purchasing Guide for Food Containers for success stories on purchasing and and implementing reusable, compostable, and other alternative food serviceware.

Bottled Water Case Study

University of Winnipeg Bottled Water Ban, Canada, 2009
The University banned bottled water sales at all food service operations, including cafeterias, privately owned eateries and vending machines. The university was able to bypass its beverage exclusivity contract with Pepsi, eliminate costs associated with buying bottled water, and reduce faculty and student body concern about drinking tap water.

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This work by the Responsible Purchasing Network is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.