Composting Update

Elizabeth and I have been working to try and implement a composting device in the marketplace. The appliance we've been looking at is called the eCorect, which is a copier sized machine that dehydrates both pre and post consumer waste and can take up to 220 pounds of waste per day. After a cycle of 12-18 hours the machine produces a dirt-like substance that can be used on the Oxy grounds. Theoretically, this machine could eliminate up to 95% of Oxy's food waste. The end result is not quite a compost, but could be if we added wood chips or something similar to the machine, however it is still entirely usable.
We have met with Bruce Steele, who was actually the one who recommended this machine, Amy Munoz, the marketplace manager, as well as Steve Remeyer, a representative from the company that sells the eCorect.
We walked around the market place with Steve and looked at the logistics of where the eCorect could be placed, and asked him questions about odor, restrictions on what can be put into the machine, etc. Steve seemed confident that if we were approved by the school to go forward with this project the machine could be installed very quickly; it really only needs to be plugged in.
Amy Munoz is supportive of the project, as it would reduce our food waste and thus the cost of food waste removal. It would also increase the level of sustainability in marketplace food practices.
One conern we had was the amount of power that would potentially be used, however the power usage is low, and probably would have a lower carbon foot print than the amount of energy used to transport waste off campus.
Currently we are working to set up a time that works for us to again meet with Steve, the ecorect company representative at a facility that currently has an operating eCorect machine. Hopefully Bruce Steele, possibly Amy Munoz and Michael Stephens will also accompany us on this trip.

-Anna D.