WASHINGTON–(BUSINESS WIRE)–The Veterans Canteen Service (VCS) of the Department of Veterans Affairs
is piloting two initiatives that should keep nearly 600,000 pounds of
kitchen waste out of U.S. landfills in 2012.

“Recycling and conservation benefits VA, the
Veterans we serve and our environment.”

“VA is committed to cutting our waste in half by 2015, and these
initiatives will be a big step toward achieving that goal,” said VCS
Director Marilyn Iverson. “Recycling and conservation benefits VA, the
Veterans we serve and our environment.”

A cooking oil recycling pilot program began Jan. 18 and will continue
for 30 days. VCS is partnering with Quest Recycling, based in Frisco,
Texas, to recycle used cooking oil generated at the VCS’s Patriot Cafés
located in several locations — West Palm Beach, Fla.; St. Louis; and
Houston, Dallas, San Antonio, and Temple, Texas.

VCS estimates it will be able to recycle approximately 583,000 pounds of
cooking oil per year and will also realize some safety benefits as new
equipment will minimize food associates’ contact with hot oil and
kitchen equipment. Used cooking oil recycling will also support VA’s
Sustainability goals of 50 percent waste diversion rate by 2015 and 30
percent reduction in Green House Gas emissions by 2020.

The pilot results will be analyzed promptly in anticipation of an
aggressive national roll out to 170 additional locations at a rate of 20
locations per month.

VCS and the Martinsburg VA Medical Center’s Nutrition and Food Service
Group have also partnered in a composting pilot at the VCS Martinsburg
Patriot Café location. The pilot composts kitchen waste
from the preparation of VCS food products. The pilot began Dec. 19, 2011
and ended Jan. 31. Early reports revealed positive results, with VCS
composting about 30 pounds of kitchen waste per week.

The Martinsburg VA Medical Center developed the original composting
system and received a VA Sustainability Achievement Award and a GreenGov
Presidential Award in 2010 for the system’s design and the
sustainability results.

The Martinsburg composting design will be used to create standard
composting policies and procedures for future VCS Patriot Cafés.
VCS is actively pursuing composting pilots with VA medical centers in
West Palm Beach, Fla.; and San Francisco, San Diego, and Palo Alto,
Calif.

VCS employees provide retail, food and vending services at VA facilities
across the country. Proceeds within VCS are used to support many VA
initiatives, including VA’s National Rehabilitation Special Events, the
homeless initiative, Fisher Houses and programs for Veterans of
Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation Enduring Freedom and Operation New
Dawn.

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