No more forks in the compost pile for UVM

Eating with utensils made from corn is no longer such an eco-friendly option.

Within the past few weeks, signs have been posted around the Davis Center's takeout food areas stating that "compostable" forks, knives and spoons, which are offered as disposable silverware, are no longer being accepted in the compost bin.

The Intervale Center, where all UVM food waste goes, is no longer taking these materials for their compost piles.

The utensils were not breaking down, and there is concern about contamination in Intervale's compost product, Intervale staff member Eric Van Vlandren said.

"Compost takes time to mature. It's usually a 10-month process," Van Vladren said. "We were getting so many compostable items [in our compost] and we realized that they didn't break down."

Staff at Intervale met with distributors and cafeterias in the area and decided that compostable cutlery items were not working well as compost, Van Vlandren said.

Since this issue arose, UVM is now encouraging students to put vegetable-based cutlery items into the trash.

Cathy Barrows, a manager at the Davis Center's Food Services areas, said that she feels the effects of this dilemma.

"In order for the utensils to break down, the utensils need a high heat that would be found at the Intervale Compost," Barrows said.  "Without this heat, the compostable utensils will not break down, which means they will not break down in the landfill."

Because of students' demands for compostable utensils, Food Services is trying to find an alternative, she said.

Currently the Davis Center offers the formerly compostable utensils, intended for people to take them "to-go", and reusable flatware, intended for people who eat in the Davis Center.

The metal flatware is washed and reused once it is returned to the dishwashing area.

"Before, many students would take the compostable silverware even if they were going to eat at Davis. Now we find most people are using the flatware," Barrow said.

"Its a good thing. We've purchased more [flatware] and I am working with the Eco-Reps in the building to remind students to return the flatware," she said. " It doesn't make sense if we keep buying flatware and the students are throwing it out."

Van Vlandren said he recommends a basic change to UVM's choice of cutlery. "[Use] metal utensils and reuse them," he said. "A metal knife, fork and spoon could last for 100 years."

Reusing items is the only real way to keep items out of the landfill or compost bucket, Erica Spiegel from UVM's Recycling and Solid Waste Office, said.

"The only real option is to go to real washable flatware," she said. "That's the challenge. It's fine in residential dining areas, but in takeout areas it's more costly for dining services to buy flatware."

Spiegel commended the Davis Center for its green efforts. "The Davis Center does a better job at providing real utensils," Spiegel said. "The Marché and Waterman Café, Bailey Howe Café and McAuley Hall are less inclined to have washables because they don't have dishwashers."

The UVM Eco-Reps program has worked on campaigns to reduce plastic water bottle use on campus and encourage people to bring their own reusable coffee mug. Spiegel hopes that people will start using their own utensils too.

"The only other option is get[ting] people to carry their own fork," she said.