Operations - Earth Tubs

The University of Montana Recycling Program has teamed up with Dining Services, Facilities Services, Forestry, and Environmental Studies, to initiate a campus composting program. With the purchase of two Earth Tubs (see picture below), students, staff, and faculty will be able to turn food scraps into useful compost (defined below).

Food scraps are often disposed of in a landfill, where they take up space, emit greenhouse gases and contaminate groundwater. Instead of causing problems, these food scraps could be used to enrich soil. Composting food scraps in a properly engineered system avoids odors & attracting animals and produces a valuable soil amendment.
Composting is the process of transforming organic 'waste' into compost via decomposition in the presence of oxygen. This process naturally produces heat that accelerates decomposition, and kills pathogens and weed seeds. Compost is a soil-like material, high in organic matter and plant nutrients, that improves soil structure, nutrient content, biological activity, and plant yield when applied to land.

Earth Tubs are industrial-size containers that facilitate the composting process through aerating a balanced mix of organic materials. On a daily basis, student volunteers collect compostable items from campus dining facilities and place them in the Earth Tubs. The food scraps (a source of nitrogen) are mixed with a bulking agent (a source of carbon) such as wood chips, sawdust, or shredded paper. An electrically powered auger mixes the food waste with the bulking agent, helping the food to decompose and transform into compost. The finished compost is removed from the bins and used around campus in landscaping and gardening projects.

Faculty, staff and students from Forestry & Environmental Studies (EVST) will monitor and study the composting process. Forestry soils classes will analyze the production of compost and its effect on soils, and EVST classes will analyze how much the Earth Tubs reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill by the University. In addition to providing an opportunity for students and faculty to engage in hands-on learning, the Earth Tubs will raise awareness about the importance of closing material cycles while helping the University meet its goal of reducing waste sent to the landfill by 25%.

NOTE: The Earth Tubs are in the process of changing their location -- Check back here to find where they are going next.

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