Dining Services diverts over half of its solid waste from the local landfill through a comprehensive management system that includes:

• Traditional recycling of cardboard, glass, tin, plastic and mixed paper


• Relationships with vendors such as Stonyfield Farm who collect and recycle their yogurt cups


• Pre-consumer food waste composting program established with a farm in Lisbon, ME


• Post-consumer food waste program established with a pig farmer in Poland, ME


• Community outreach program which allows extra food portions prepared to be shared with local homeless shelters and soup kitchens

Dining Services reduces paper usage by placing napkins directly on tables, minimizing use of disposables in operations and use of reusable ware at outdoor events. Our current policy permits the removal of china and silverware from the dining room and encourages its return through a combination of "meal for dishes" incentives offered to custodial staff and "storm the dorm" projects conducted during holiday breaks.

Future Solid Waste Reduction Goals for Dining Services:

• Education of students to further reduce post-consumer waste


• A retrofit of Commons is scheduled for this winter to improve traffic flow and provide a space conducive to wise food choices, thus hopefully further reducing food waste


• Reduce solid waste through the implementation of reusable packaging containers