Aramark at Trent University
Sustainable Initiatives

Trayless Residence Dining Hall
Trent University Dining Services has eliminated the use of trays in Peter Robinson Dining Hall located inside Peter Gzowski College.  By removing trays, we decrease food waste, conserve water and energy and reduce the use of cleaning chemicals.  According to The Business and Cultural Acceptance Case for Trayless Dining, removing trays reduces food waste by 25-30% per person and conserves almost 1900 liters of water annually.

Supporting Ontario Farmers 
Dining Services is continuously working on providing a sustainable environment and constantly searching for local suppliers. Being situated in a Canadian environment where summer is not all year round, local produce is not always available, however when it is available to Dining Services we do purchase and support local farmers when it is available to our customers. Look for our Foodland Ontario displays at all campus food service location which highlight Local Ontario Products.  “GOOD THINGS GROW IN ONTARIO”

Non-Bleached Napkins
All napkins are provided by Kruger products and are non-bleached, environmentally friendly napkins. “Kruger’s place environmental management among their highest priorities and have established policies, programs and practices for conducting operations accordingly. For example, our products and facilities are 100% elemental chlorine free, the effluents from our paper mills are mainly non-toxic and many of our bathroom and towel products have the highest recycled fibre content in the premium tissue category. Kruger Products is also a committed participant in Ontario's Blue Box program.”

Biodegradable Packaging and Cutlery
 Dining Services partnered with Innoware packaging replaced the cutlery and some of our packaging with a biodegradable substitute. The Eco- Expressions container meets the ASTM standards for compost ability as certified by the biodegradable products institute. That means it biodegrades in a commercial compost facility completely within 60-180 days, without releasing any toxic residues. In addition, this innovative line of containers is also disposable with food waste -- no separation is required. The containers are made from an annual renewable resource that is not tied to corn for main feedstock, it reduces environmental impact and the production process uses fewer fossil fuels and emits less carbon dioxide.

 “Green” Chemical Line
 Dining Services partnered with Ecolab and  are committed to providing our customers with the most effective and efficient cleaning, food safety and infection control programs available. Sustainability is inherent in our products and services. From concentrated, solid formulations to innovative packaging and dispensing methods, our products are designed to help increase safety, lower the use of water and energy, and reduce the chemicals and waste released to the environment. Strengthened by the expertise of our associates and combined with our dedication to social responsibility, these offerings provide value to our customers and the global economy – and help foster a more sustainable world.

No Foam on Campus
As of January 2010 Dining Services will remove all foam from our facilities replacing them with more environmentally friendly packaging.

Consumer Organic Waste Program (Composting)
We participate in Trent Universities Composting program which gathers and collects all food preparation and  post consumer waste and composts at Trent’s own Composting area.

Fair Trade Certified and Organic Coffee & Tea at All Retail Outlets on Campus
Dining Services coffee & tea brands come from Mother Parkers Coffee and Unilever Lipton teas. Mother Parkers provides gourmet Fair Trade and certified Organic coffees in a wide range of origins and roast levels. Their organic beans and processes meet the strict certification standards of both the USDA and OCIA. Their Fair Trade coffees are certified by TransFair, an organization dedicated to offering better trading conditions for producers and workers in developing countries. Lipton’s sustainable farming practices, both within thier own and third party tea estates, are vital for our future. They are the provider of our organic tea selection also available in all of our retail locations.

Oil Recycling into Biodiesel Fuel
Dining Services partnered with The Grease Man to have a collection system in place with used cooking oil being picked up from our location and then converted into bio-diesel fuel which is then used to power landscape vehicles.

Reusable Cutlery and Glassware & China in our Resident Dining Hall and through our Catering Department
Cutlery and glassware are provided at Lady Eaton College & Gzowski College . As well, Classic Fare Catering provides these items along with china, thereby reducing the amount of single use disposable waste accessing the traditional waste stream.

Eco Mug Discount at All Locations on Campus
This initiative offers customers a discount when they use their own mug at any  Dining Services outlet on campus. Dining Services offers an Eco-mug.

Recycling Stations in All Locations
Dining Services is committed to developing sustainable business practices. Our goal is to reduce the quantity of solid matter that enters the waste stream. Recycling bins are situated in all areas of the facilities – from kitchen production to the dining rooms - which makes recycling convenient and easy for employees and customers.

Marketing Awareness Campaign
Dining Services provides communication that educates the campus community and encourages more participation in initiatives that support a sustainable environment by providing news releases in campus publications, along with information slides projected on LCD screens mounted in various outlets on campus. Educational Fair Trade information sheets are also available at all retail locations informing customers about Fair Trade, the products we use and programs we support.