Since 2004, CU has composted in the dining halls, capturing over 170 tons of organic materials annually. A large portion of this material comes from the prep waste in the kitchens, and the rest is from the uneaten food sent back on the dish line.
In 2007, the University Memorial Center (UMC) started composting "behind the scenes" and began to capture over 20 tons of organic material each year. After a few years of success, the UMC Grill converted to all compostable "to-go” materials. With this conversion, we were able to set up compost bins for the public in the dining area. Compost bins were also added to the restrooms to capture the used paper towels. Now, the UMC composts over 35 tons of organic materials each year.