Allan Gerlat, News Editor

February 22, 2012

1 Min Read
Veterans Canteen Starts Recycling, Composting Pilot Programs

The Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) is piloting two programs it says will keep nearly 600,000 pounds of kitchen waste out of landfills in 2012.

The Washington-based branch of the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) launched a pilot cooking oil recycling program. Also, the VCS and the Martinsburg (W.Va.) VA Medical Center’s Nutrition and Food Service Group are jointly working on a composting pilot program at the VCS Martinsburg Patriot Cafelocation, the VCS said in a news release.

With the cooking oil recycling program, VCS partnered with Quest Recycling, based in Frisco, Texas, to recycle used cooking oil generated at the VCS’s Patriot Cafes located in West Palm Beach, Fla.; St. Louis; and the Texas cities of Houston, Dallas, San Antonio and Temple. The agency hopes to roll the program out nationally to 170 additional locations.

VCS estimates it can recycle approximately 583,000 pounds of cooking oil per year and also realize some safety benefits with new equipment.

The Martinsburg pilot program composted kitchen waste from the preparation of VCS food products. VCS said it was able to compost about 30 pounds of kitchen waste per week. The medical center developed the composting system, and design will be used for future cafes. VCS is now looking to develop composting pilots with VA medical centers in West Palm Beach, Fla.; and the California cities of San Francisco, San Diego and Palo Alto.

VCS employees provide retail, food and vending services at VA facilities across the country.

 

About the Author(s)

Allan Gerlat

News Editor, Waste360

Allan Gerlat joined the Waste360 staff in September 2011 as news editor. He was the editor of Waste & Recycling News for the first 16 years of its history, and under his guidance the publication won 27 national and regional awards.

Before Waste & Recycling News, Allan worked at another Crain Communications publication, Rubber & Plastics News, which covers rubber product manufacturing. He began with the publication as associate editor and eventually became managing editor, a position he held for nine years.

Allan is a graduate of Ohio University, where he earned a BS in journalism. He is based in Sagamore Hills, in northeast Ohio.

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