Waste Reduction
Michigan Dining is committed to purchasing, reusing, recycling, and composting strategies that promote long-term waste eradication in every step of the process. MDining prefers suppliers who emphasize waste reduction and diversion from landfills while MDining staff and diners participate through reducing, reusing, recycling, and composting practices.
- MDining Initiatives:
- Partnership with Food Recovery Network allows uneaten perishable food from MDining locations to be collected and redistributed to fight food waste and food insecurity.
- Evo-eco smart bins are used in some retail locations to educate users on best composting practices.
- Dining halls serve food in a trayless, small-plate style to incentivize students to take only what they will eat to reduce food waste.
- Compostable containers are used for Blue-to-Go packaged food and beverages in MDining retail locations.
- UMich partners with an outside source to recycle used fryer oil for recycled biodiesel.
- MDining partners with the Office of Campus Sustainability to aid students in hosting Zero-Waste Events where waste reduction and landfill diversion are emphasized.
- All pre- and post-consumer food scraps are composted in dining halls.
- Wherever possible, single-use plastics are eliminated and replaced with compostable materials or reusable plastics.
- Students, staff, and faculty are educated on the proper disposal of all materials through the Know Where to Throw campaign.
