Waste Reduction

​UMass Dining has accepted the EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge, pledging to improve our sustainable food management practices by preventing and diverting waste. We choose to follow the Food Recovery Hierarchy, which first prioritizes source reduction, followed by food donation, and composting methods. We believe that food waste should never end up in landfills.

source reduction

​MENU ENGINEERING
  • Our chefs repurpose food scraps that would otherwise be composted to create new and interesting menu items
  • Pineapple cores are used for water infusions and cucumber peels are repurposed to make cucumber lemonade, creating popular and healthy alternatives to soda at our juice bar
BUILDING DESIGN OF HAMPSHIRE DINING COMMONS
  • The circular design of Hampshire reduces food lines, encouraging customers to take only what they can eat
  • The circular design also allows for a direct line of vision, when walking through the dining commons customers can see all options before deciding on a meal  
  • Dishes are cooked upstairs so chefs and servers can communicate to reduce overproduction
JUST-IN-TIME COOKING AND CUSTOMIZABLE ITEMS
  • Our dining commons feature “just-in-time” cooking so every customer can order their desired quantity and ingredients for each meal
  • 70% of our menu options are customizable
  • Customized meals include noodle bowls, stir fry, pasta pronto, sushi, and sandwiches.
SMALL PLATE, BIG FLAVOR
  • We serve small plates packed with big flavors, such as miniature desserts and sliders instead of full-size burgers
  • Students are always welcome to come back for more, but smaller portions are a great way to reduce food waste
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EPA's Food Recovery Hierarchy.
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UMass Dining made-to-order stir fry station.
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UMass miniature-sized chocolate dessert.

Food Donation

UMass Dining works with the UMass Food Recovery Network, a volunteer-based student-run organization on campus, to donate leftover food from our dining commons to food insecure folks in the Pioneer Valley.
 
Currently, the UMass Food Recovery Network donates to Craig's Doors, a local homeless shelter in Amherst. Students recover food from Worcester Dining Commons five days a week to deliver to Craig’s Doors.

The Food Recovery Network is a national organization committed to reducing food waste and fighting hunger. Freed from liability, Universities can lean on the Food Recovery Network to provide meals for local homeless shelters. The UMass chapter of the Food Recovery Network diverts 100-200 lbs. of food from our waste stream every week. 

Compost Program

100% of UMass’ compost is sent just 30 minutes from campus to Martin’s Farm, a local, family-owned commercial composting facility in Greenfield, MA. Martin’s Farm turns UMass’ waste into rich, dark, organic compost to be used by farmers and gardeners throughout the Valley. All food containers served on campus are compostable, as are our napkins, which are bleach-free and made from 100% recycled fiber. To educate students about what can be composted at our retail dining locations, we have installed easy-to-read signage at our composting stations.
 
Composting is now our largest waste stream on campus. Every year we divert nearly 1,500 tons of organic matter from landfills, which is enough waste to fill 25 city buses. However, only 1% of the energy that is used to grow, process, transport, and prepare food is recovered by composting it. To meet our sustainability goals, we must think beyond composting for more innovative ways to reduce and reuse.
 
Our composting program is made possible through our partnership with the UMass Office of Waste Management and the New England Small Farmers' Institute (NESFI).

Other Waste Reduction INITIATIVES

  • Tray-less dining across campus
  • Plastic bag ban at all of our on-campus food locations
  • Eliminated cans and bottles for Grab 'n' Go lunch, encouraging students to bring their own reusable bottle
  • All napkins are made from 100% recycled fiber and are manufactured with a bleach-free process
  • Retail Dining locations offer ceramic dishware to reduce single use compostable containers
  • Educational campaigns and signage like “Don’t Feed the Trash Monster”
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The face of the life-sized trash monster built by students in Blue Wall for the "Don't Feed the Trash Monster" campaign.
If you have an idea for how UMass Dining can further reduce our waste, please email your proposal to our sustainability staff here!