Food waste makes up 20 percent of what Iowans send to the landfill

(2017 Iowa Statewide Waste Characterization Study). Why throw this food “away” when it can be turned into valuable, nutrient-rich compost instead?

Schools can plan an important role in diverting waste from the landfill – in our case, the Black Hawk County Sanitary Landfill, where decomposing food emits methane, a greenhouse gas much more potent than carbon dioxide.

Cedar Falls Community School District is making a commitment to collect food waste in all school cafeterias. The food that students don’t eat – like pizza crusts and banana peels – is picked up and composted off-site. The same company that hauls away the recyclables takes care of the food waste too.

By participating in this initiative, students, faculty, and staff can make a positive, lasting impact on the environment.