Our Vision
Our mission at Torus is to make composting accessible, convenient, and easy for all in New Jersey. By scaling our operations and expanding our reach, we aim to take strides towards eliminating food waste through a sustainable, environmentally friendly solution that empowers individuals and businesses to reduce their carbon footprint and build a cleaner future– together. Eventually, we imagine a future where composting is the norm: a daily, recurring habit.
Who We Are
Collect. Compost. Connect.
Torus is dedicated to reducing food waste and promoting sustainability through accessible composting services. Founded in late 2023 by Lawrenceville students Zikang, Anthony, Matthew, and David, our organization aims to revolutionize waste management in New Jersey.
Our Journey So Far
Our Impact
Starting in Central New Jersey, Torus is working to expand statewide to make composting accessible and affordable for all. Since launching in late 2023, we’ve proudly served over 500 households and organizations, collecting and composting more than 200,000 pounds of food waste. Our efforts have already prevented the release of over 760,000 pounds of CO₂-equivalent emissions, helping to fight climate change one bucket at a time. As we grow, so does our impact—and our commitment to building a cleaner, more sustainable New Jersey.
Our Advocacy
Advocacy is a core part of what we do at Torus. We’re working to make composting more accessible across New Jersey, starting in our own town. Right now, we’re collaborating with West Windsor Township officials to create the town’s first public compost drop-off site: you can read our full proposal [here].
We also focus on statewide change. We support bills like A4118 and S203, which set targets for reducing organic waste in landfills and would expand composting infrastructure. Our team meets with municipal leaders, testifies at public meetings, and works with partners like Share My Meals and the NJ League of Conservation Voters to push these efforts forward.
And we want other young people to get involved too. We created a short film about students driving civic change, made possible by a Hutchins Student Civic Media Grant from the Hutchins Center for Civics at The Lawrenceville School. The film will be published on October 18th.
Our Research
Title: Exploring Fundamental Causes of Food Waste and Direct Donations through Analyzing Existing Solutions and Discrete Event Simulations
Authors: Zikang Jiang, Anthony Woo, David Chen, Matthew Gao
Summary: This paper investigates the persistent issue of Food Loss and Waste (FLW) in the U.S., where 78 million tons of food waste contribute to 5.2% of greenhouse gas emissions and cost 1.8% of GDP annually. Analyzing the Food Supply Chain (FSC), it identifies causes of waste at production, handling, distribution, and consumption stages. The study highlights successful solutions like IFCO’s Reusable Packaging Containers and Apeel’s edible coatings, emphasizing the need for cost-efficient, scalable innovations. Using Discrete Event Simulation, the paper explores Direct Donations—connecting edible surplus directly to those in need—as a complement to food bank donations. Despite higher waste rates (37.8% vs. 6.1% for food banks), Direct Donations could reduce landfill use by processing household surplus that food banks often reject. The research suggests pilot programs in high-density cities, particularly in developing countries, and proposes a nonprofit platform to address legal and logistical barriers, optimizing information and resource flow to enhance adoption.
Read the full paper here.
