New Compost Bins in MSC Food Court

MacEwan Student Centre sees a lot of traffic, and that traffic produces a tonne of waste. Literally. Our hardworking food court team hauls away over a metric tonne of waste each day. (FYI, a metric tonne is the equivalent of a pair of respectably sized moose!) And you can do your part to make sure that the organic portion of that waste is diverted to a commercial compost facility instead of the landfill.

It’s so easy! Last fall, the Students’ Union and the food court vendors eliminated styrofoam containers in favor of the new corn-based compostable clamshells. These clamshell containers, and whatever organic food material happens to be clinging inside, can be deposited into the waste bins marked “organics”. These bins can also receive wooden chopsticks, food waste, cardboard and napkins.

The bins marked “landfill” are still necessary to collect plastic cutlery, plastic wrap, tinfoil and other non-compostable material. 

The styrofoam free initiative has been in the works for a long time. Respondents to a 2010 survey indicated that they preferred biodegradable containers (93%) and were willing to pay more for their meals if necessary (77%). After consultation with students, food court vendors, suppliers and with the support of the student Eco Club, the Student Centre was officially styrofoam free in September of 2011.

Take an extra 2 seconds today to choose the right bin for your clamshell container and food waste. It’s that easy to be part of a more sustainable Student Centre and a more sustainable campus.