The University's OSCA composting machine transforms organic waste into nutrient-rich compost for the campus gardens. OSCA can process the following:

• All food scraps
• The compostable plates, cups and cutlery sold at campus food outlets
• Paper hand towels
• Cardboard

Some of the key benefits of using OSCA include:

• Very low energy consumption to run the machine
• Silent processing of organic matter
• Produces odourless compost
• Diverts organic waste from going into landfill
• Reduces transport costs of waste going to landfill
• Educates people about composting

OSCA facts

• At capacity, 50 tonnes of organic waste a year can be processed by OSCA. This represents a reduction of 60 tonnes of CO2 entering the Earth's atmosphere every year at Sippy Downs.
• One wheelie bin full of compostable waste takes 2 weeks to be processed by OSCA into rich compost.

Compostable catering supplies

• To ensure the organic waste stream is consistent with OSCA's requirements, compostable catering products (i.e. made of 100% corn starch) such as cutlery, plates and coffee cups (including lids) are used in all food outlets on campus. Compostable catering products are a significant factor in the success of the waste recovery program and has helped the University convert 25% of its food waste to rich nutrient compost each year.