Utah State University CASE STUDY

Utah State University (USU) sought an on-site, in-vessel composting system to enhance sustainability on campus. Their goals were multi-faceted. They needed a machine that could handle 258 lbs of pre-consumer food waste daily, reducing waste sent to landfills. They needed high quality finished compost to be produced quickly, within 4 weeks (excluding curing) to meet campus needs. They needed a system that would maintain 131°F for three consecutive days to ensure pathogen-free compost. The system had to function effectively in both hot summers and cold winters, requiring no more than 5 hours of staff operations per week for efficiency. The solution also needed to be scalable, and able to accommodate increased inputs over time to support USU's evolving sustainability goals. These requirements reflect USU's commitment to sustainability, cost-efficiency, and landscape enrichment, setting the stage for a transformative composting solution.

USU worked with GMT to select the 14’ Earth Flow In Vessel composter, capable of receiving up to 840 pounds of feedstocks per day with a 21-day retention time in the vessel). A balanced ratio of campus food scraps with carbon bulking agent produce a high quality, ready to cure compost in about three weeks. The Earth Flow incorporates multiple engineering controls to prevent pests and odors from being a concern on campus, and leverages its high-performance mixing and aeration technologies to make a nutrient rich finished compost which is a beneficial resource for the University.