Pilot 3: Mountain View Correctional Facility & Maine Department of Corrections Overview

We partnered with the Maine Department of Corrections to conduct a food waste tracking and measuring study at the Mountain View Correctional Facility in Charleston, Maine. This study completed out 2022/23 pilot with the four major MDOC facilities (including Maine State Prison, Bolduc, and the Women’s Reentry Center).

 

The Mountain View food waste study began on 11/7/22 and was completed on 12/10/2022.

 

Project Goals 

1. To reduce food waste costs and volume.
2. To identify food waste causes and recommend solutions.
3. To identify an effective (fast, easy, and useful) food service food waste tracking system.

Results 

• Total Plate Waste was reduced by 18% over the course of the study
• The largest contribution to Plate Waste costs was uneaten fruits and vegetables (35% of total Plate Waste cost).
• Plate Waste (vs. Kitchen Waste) was the largest contributor to total food waste at roughly 73%. So, interventions targeting Plate Waste like food quality or resident choice would be more effective than altering kitchen practices.
• Pre-planned daily menus require new food production resulting in the disposal of leftover food. Reusing 50% of overproduced food would save MDOC between $40,000 and $88,935 per year. MDO will alter menus to allow for creative use of leftovers (ex: soups, hash, salads, pasta, casseroles) further reducing food waste and costs.