Vic Launches Chopstick Recycling Program

^{From left to right:  Anandita Vishnoi, VUSAC sustainability co-chair, Justin Liou, VUSAC sustainability commissioner, Ajay Sharma, associate director for hospitality services, and Jason Sabatini, manager food services. (Photo by Will Dang)}

Every year about 4,000 pairs of single-use bamboo chopsticks are used and thrown away in the Burwash Dining Hall and another 2,000 in Ned’s Cafe. 

Food Services used the occasion of the Lunar New Year to launch a new sustainability initiative to collect and repurpose eating utensils. They have partnered with ChopValue, a company that specializes in recycling used bamboo chopsticks and transforming them into furniture. The idea for the partnership came from VUSAC Sustainability Commissioner Justin Liou and his co-chair Anandita Vishnoi. 
 
“They were instrumental in bringing Vic Food Services and ChopValue together to create a win-win situation that promises to enhance Victoria University’s environmental impact,” said Ajay Sharma, associate director for hospitality services. 
 
“Being a sustainability enthusiast myself, it was hard to let this opportunity slip by. It made perfect sense to begin this as we celebrated the onset of the Year of the Snake by serving Lunar New Year-themed menus with increased use of chopsticks in Burwash Dining Hall and Ned’s Café.” 

Students, staff, faculty and librarians can support this initiative by placing their used disposable chopsticks in the black plastic ChopValue recycling bins located in Burwash Dining Hall and Ned’s Café.