> Water > Pollution Prevention > P2 Resources

Pollution Prevention Resources for Industries

MCES Encourages Food Composting

MCES permits more than 800 Industrial Users. Many of our permitted industries have food preparation facilities, such as cafeterias, on site. This is especially true for hospitals on permit, which provide food services for patients, staff, and visitors. Currently many of these hospitals use food grinders to grind up food waste and deposit it into the sanitary sewer. Others use food pulpers, which separate the solid portion of the food and deposit only the liquid portion into the sewer. Both methods for food disposal contribute a heavy organic load to the waste stream. Treating the organic load from food grinders and pulpers at MCES wastewater treatment plants is costly, and keeping the grinders and pulpers working properly can take significant effort. Furthermore, it is important to note the practice of grinding bulk food waste, to avoid the need for off-site disposal as solid waste, is prohibited by the MCES Waste Discharge Rules.

Composting is one alternative to using grinders and pulpers for handling food wastes that can help avoid high costs for equipment maintenance and wastewater treatment. Compost is defined as a mixture of decomposing plant material and other organic waste that is used as a fertilizer and soil conditioner. In essence, composting is a recycling of food back to the earth from where it originated.

There is a demand for natural organic soil amendments in the Twin Cities area. It is needed for gardens, ball fields, construction projects, golf courses, etc. Many local companies are in need of organic food wastes for the manufacturing of these soil amendments.

MCES encourages all hospitals and other sources to actively explore composting as an alternative to food grinding and pulping. Minnesota Waste Wise, www.mnwastewise.org, (651) 292-4662; Minnesota Office of Environmental Assistance, www.moea.state.mn.us, (651) 215-0284; and Solid Waste Management Coordinating Board, www.swmcb.org, can assist hospitals and other industries in finding alternative, environmentally friendly ways to handle food wastes.