How long does it take to replace a dishwasher that can process all the dishes coming through our Vermont cafeteria? It takes about two weeks.
How will the cafeteria serve food to hundreds of people without washable dishes when the replacement begins on Oct. 3rd? Paper products and other single-use items will be used.
Ooh paper! Isn’t that recyclable?
Unfortunately, no. Paper plates, bowls, and containers are too dirty for recycling, and they usually have a non-recyclable liner.
Bummer…So we’re sending hundreds of paper food containers to the landfill every day?!
Not so fast! We have a zero-waste plan for disposing of these excess paper products.
Our paper products will be BPI certified compostable. They can be composted, but there’s one caveat. Our local compost provider, GROW Compost of Vermont, accepts only food scraps. We’ve arranged for separate collection bins in the cafeteria. The BPI certified compostable paper plates, containers, and utensils will be sent to Green Mountain Compost. The dishwasher conveyer belt will be closed, so please be aware of the changes to sorting mealtime waste.
Thank You,
Charlie Maitland
Facilities Team, and the Environmental Responsibility Committee