Rutgers University CASE STUDY

Rutgers University's Cook Campus in New Brunswick sought a sustainable solution to manage its food and animal waste. The university aimed to reduce the environmental impact and financial costs associated with landfill waste disposal while enriching campus landscapes and green spaces with compost. This initiative aligned with Rutgers' commitment to sustainability and climate change mitigation strategies. A key goal of this project was to serve as the first step in creating an "organic recycling and reutilization Living-Laboratory" at Rutgers, demonstrating the university's commitment to innovative research in organic recycling. Funding for on-campus organics diversion recycling research and demonstrations was provided by the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection. Additionally, collaboration with the New Jersey Composting Council offered crucial support for the composting research project, encompassing pre-composting programs, outreach, and compost-related research. This partnership was dedicated to ensuring the success of the food waste and organics recycling program at the university.

In response to Rutgers University's specific needs, Green Mountain Technologies provided the 20’ Earth Flow™ In-Vessel composting system. This automated system can handle up to 30,000 pounds of compostable materials per month, including food and animal waste. It keeps odors in check and prevents any environmental mess by keeping the entire hot composting process contained within the small footprint of the recycled shipping container and mitigating odors with a biofiltration system. As a result, waste disposal costs are reduced and Rutgers’ environmental footprint is shrunk by diverting cafeteria and animal waste away from landfills.

The high-quality compost produced by the Earth Flow enhances the university's landscapes, gardens, and greenhouses, aligning perfectly with Rutgers' sustainability goals. This partnership between Rutgers University, the New Jersey Compost Council and GMT is closing the loop on campus sustainability while providing invaluable data on a diverse array of composting methods and feedstocks.