Campus Composting Programs Expand

Achieving zero waste at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is a strategic sustainability goal that will require the collective efforts of students, faculty, and staff to divert a greater percentage of existing materials away from landfills today and in the decades ahead.

Last semester, F&S collaborated with the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE) to launch a new composting pilot program at Bevier Hall and Illinois Street Residence (ISR) Halls in partnership with WasteNot Compost, a zero-emissions company, to determine the feasibility of expanding larger-scale biodegradable collection for industrial composting across select campus buildings and at various student-focused events. The pilot was made possible through a Student Sustainability Committee (SSC) award grant to “target the most engaged, captive audiences looking to participate in community-accessible composting.”

As part of the pilot, Bevier Café student chefs and ISR residents received training on using small collection buckets for food scraps and other compostables. Participants then transferred these materials to a primary, secured on-site collection container, and the company hauled them away once a week using an electric vehicle fleet. 

F&S Zero Waste Coordinator Betsy Ruckman said, “WasteNot is a big player in Chicagoland organics diversion, and they’ve been a great partner since 2024 at big events like Sustainapalooza and the welcome lunch. Grind2Energy has our dining hall food waste covered, but we also produce considerable organic waste at events and in offices and residences. These new collection points are our next step in determining how and where additional composting activities at the university can be most effective.”

Industrial composting efforts at events have yielded impressive results. The recent 2026 lunch at New Student Convocation served approximately 8,000 students with an 80 percent diversion rate, collecting 1,179 pounds of compostable waste. Data collection for the pilot in campus buildings is underway. 

EcoReps Compost Collection Program

Compost initiatives are also expanding to other buildings and audiences. The Honors House is diverting its own waste and inviting neighboring cultural houses to participate, while the EcoReps Compost Collection Program is allowing all community members to drop off their compostable items at the Illini Union every Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. when school is in session. 

Anyone from the campus community can bring compostable materials to Anniversary Plaza (the Main Quad side of the Illini Union) or inside near the south entrance to the Union, depending on the weather.

This program is made possible through a joint effort of iSEE, F&S, Student Engagement, and the Illini Union, and is also supported by the SSC.

iSEE Sustainability Program Coordinator Miriam Keep said, “We have been hearing for a long time that students want to see more composting options at the university. It’s especially exciting to see this program give people that opportunity right in the core of the campus and contribute to the continued growth of composting throughout our community.”

CCES Program in Urbana

In February, the Champaign County Environmental Stewards (CCES) also partnered with WasteNot Compost to establish a dedicated composting program open to the residents of Champaign-Urbana and neighboring cities. Individuals who sign up for this community-wide program ($15 monthly) can take food scraps and other compostables to one of four 24-hour drop-off points in Urbana.

Questions about composting at the U. of I. should be directed to recycling@illinois.edu.