MEADVILLE, Pa. - October 15, 2001 - With the financial support of the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection (DEP), Allegheny College has become the first college or university in Pennsylvania to install an on-campus composting facility. Manufactured by Wright Environmental of Toronto, the unit will be officially unveiled at a special ceremony held on Thursday, October 25 at 11 a.m. at the College’s Robertson Athletic Field.

The ceremony will feature a special guest appearance by DEP Secretary David Hess. The ceremony is sponsored by Allegheny College in conjunction with the Crawford County Board of Commissioners.

"This compost unit will add immensely to the educational and environmental opportunities for Allegheny College," says Ken Hanna, director of the College’s physical plant. "As an educational institution, it is great that we have this machine to demonstrate that we are concerned about our environment and that we continue to offer the best educational opportunities for our students."

Purchased with a grant from the Pennsylvania DEP, Allegheny’s composting unit is only the second in-vessel organic waste composting program in Pennsylvania, and one of only a handful in the northeast region of the United States. Designed to compost 1,500 pounds of organic material in only 28 days, the unit completely contains the composting process and creates a soil-like, nutrient-rich material that helps to replenish lawns, gardens and flowerbeds without using chemical fertilizers. At Allegheny College, the material composted is primarily waste from the College’s three on-campus cafeterias and other food service facilities.

"By turning waste into a useful product, Allegheny College is setting an example in environmental responsibility that we hope other institutions in Pennsylvania will follow," says DEP Regional Director James Rozakis. "Campus-wide composting is an environmentally sound and cost-effective alternative to land-filling biodegradable material and serves as an educational experience for those on campus."

The new composting unit is an integral part of a state-wide governmental program to raise the effectiveness of Pennsylvania’s recycling programs. Established in 1997, the Municipal Waste, Planning, Recycling and Reduction Act requires the collection and proper disposal of leaves and yard waste, and allocates funds for recycling and composting projects.

In addition, the College recently hired Richard A. Porter of Guys Mills, Pa., to serve as compost operator. Porter will be assisted by students studying environmental science at the College to ensure the composting program’s success.

Allegheny College is a nationally recognized, selective college of the liberal arts and sciences in northwestern Pennsylvania. Founded in 1815, Allegheny is among a select group of just 190 U.S. colleges and universities whose strong track records in math and the sciences merited their inclusion in Peterson’s Top Colleges for Science.