NNECERAPPAUniversity of Vermont - March 2010

Erica SpiegelCorey Berman

UVM Physical Plant Department

Designing for Waste Prevention,

Recycling & Composting

Session Outline

• Introduction – (Attendee expectations)

1. Snapshot of UVM Recycling Program

2. Measuring the Waste Stream

3. Davis Center Case Study: Building Design & Operations for Recycling

4. Moving Beyond Recycling: Waste Prevention

• Q & A – Wrap Up

Snapshot of UVM Recycling Program

Recycling Collection System

• “Single Stream” recycling for all paper, cans, bottles, plastics

• Custodial Services staff involved in collecting materials within all buildings

• In-house Recycling crew picks up from all buildings (loading docks & exteriors)

• All materials are delivered to a municipally-owned MRF (5 miles from campus)

• Pay “tip fee” or receive revenue share…depending on market.

• Contracted services for:

– Trash collection (dumpsters & compactors)

– cardboard recycling (dumpsters)

– food waste/compostables.

Meet the Recycling Crew• 3 FTE’s

• Daily collection route using a side-load recycle truck

• ~100 service locations & buildings

• Daily pickup of small “house” waste

• Daily pickup of bulky waste, e-waste and surplus property/furniture using stake-body truck

• Special and seasonal collection programs:

– Orientation & Special Events

– Student Move-In

– Student Move-Out

• Many “generations” of bins and containers used inside buildings

Collection Bins

Other Materials Collected

Surplus Property

C & D Waste

Student Move-In Day

~ 2 tons of corrugated cardboard collected in one day

Student Move-Out Week

~ 5 tons of donated food, clothing and household items

in one week

Program Success Due to Many Partners

• University Partners– Residential Life– Dining Services– Custodial Services– Office of Sustainability

(Eco-Reps)– Environmental Safety– Facilities Design

& Construction– Transportation & Parking

Services

• Business Partners– Chittenden Solid Waste

District– Contracted Waste Hauler

(All Cycle Waste)– Vendors for Specific

Commodities (e-waste, grease, scrap metal, etc)

Measuring the Waste Stream “what gets measured gets managed”

Getting the Data

• Weight slips from transfer station for solid waste

• Contract requires hauler to weigh University waste separately

• Weight slips from MRF for all recyclables

• Vendor reports on other commodities (e.g. gallons)

• For items that are not weighed separately, use a volume/weight estimate (e.g. appliances)

• Annual “weight audit” for food waste/compostables to come up with weekly average.

Keeping Track of Data

Paper, Cans & Bottles, Corrugated Cardboard 570 tons

Food Scraps Composted 159 tons

Used cooking oil 10 tons

Scrap Wood & Pallets 58 tons

Scrap metal 73 tons

Appliances “White Goods” 7 tons

Tires 2 tons

Surplus Furniture 3 tons

Books 2 tons

Computers “E-Waste” 28 tons

Total Materials Diverted 912 tons

Total Waste Disposed in Landfill 1,603 tons

Diversion Rate (“Recycling Rate”) 36%

Materials Diverted from Landfill Disposal - 2009

918

783885

784

958 925 909 912

1,7341,674

1,7681,881 1,908

1,8181,768

1,603

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

0

500

1,000

1,500

2,000

2,500

TO

NS

Waste Landfilled Materials Recycled

Waste Landfilled and Materials Recycled (TONS)

8,9929,486 9,636

10,315 10,58110,956

11,49712,067

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 2009

0

1,000

2,000

3,000

4,000

5,000

6,000

7,000

8,000

9,000

10,000

11,000

12,000

13,000

Students (FTE) Faculty/Staff (FTE) Square Footage (in 1,000's)

Campus Population Growth & Square Footage Growth

152

124138

115

137129

122 117

288

265275 277 274

253237

206

2002 2003 2004 2005 2006 2007 2008 20090

50

100

150

200

250

300

350

Po

un

ds

Per

Cap

ita

Waste (lbs/capita) Recycled (lbs/capita)

Waste Landfilled and Materials Recycled (POUNDS PER CAPITA)

Paper, Cans & Bottles, Corrugated Cardboard 59.3 tons

Food Scraps Composted 98 tons

Used cooking oil 1 tons

Scrap Wood & Pallets NA

Total Materials Diverted 158.3 tons

Total Waste Disposed in Landfill 104 tons

Diversion Rate (“Recycling Rate”) 60%

Davis Center: Better Than the Campus Average

Davis Center Case Study: Building Design & Operations

The Dudley H. Davis Center 186,000 square feet

Completed in August 2007the first LEED-Gold certified student center in the U.S.

Discussions about recycling and trash handling took place years before actual construction.

Recycling staff input during conceptual, schematic and final design development stages.

Loading dock area sits below grade, well hidden from street view and pedestrian walkway view.

Dock is covered by an 18,000 sq. ft. “green roof” planted with drought-resistant grasses to absorb storm water. Average depth of soil (12-14”) can hold up to 80 lbs per cubic foot

including the soil itself, the grasses and storm water/snow.

Green roof above dock

Loading dock below grade

Radiant tubing under the driveway ramp transfers heat from the hot water system to the concrete surface above to prevent ice formation. This radiant snow melt system reduces the need for

salt and chemical de-icing agents in the winter.

During Construction – March 2007After Completion – September 2007

Two 20-cubic yard self contained compactors. One for commingled recycling, the other for trash. These sit under the covered portion of

the dock, protected from snow, rain and wind.

Each compactor is fitted with a Perkins® hydraulic cart lifter enabling staff to empty carts without risk of lifting injuries.

Food waste and compostable packaging from the dining areas is collected for composting. These are placed into wheeling carts which are lined with

compostable bags (made of “cornstarch” or PLA).

Walk-in cooler at dock which is exclusively used for Food Scraps Composting Collection. The cooler keeps organic waste at a

constant temperature – helping reduce odors and pests in warmer months, and preventing frozen carts in winter months.

A cart wash area adjacent to the walk-in cooler features ceramic tile wall, sanitary drain with catch basin for solids, and a high-pressure

hose for washing out barrels on a regular basis.

Plenty of space was designed into the dock area for pallets, milk crates, bread racks and reusable shipping boxes- items that are

back-hauled by vendors.

Used cooking oil is collected and stored in 45-gallon drums.

The drums sit on a spill containment pallet. Emptied by local company – converted into

bio-diesel fuel.

Service corridor connects to “back of house” entrances to retail shops, Bookstore and kitchens. Trash, recycling and compost move out of the

building away from public pedestrian areas. Double doors in the corridor prevent noise, odors and outside air from entering the building.

Inside the building, recycling and waste is collected from attractive built-in cabinets – which are placed throughout every floor. Square

Rubbermaid® Station Containers line the inside of each cabinet.

Marketplace Dish Return Area has built-in cabinets for collecting food scraps & compostable packaging, recycling and trash.

Brennan’s Pub uses all reusables and washable dishes (including Mason jars for drinks!)

Moveable trash and recycle stations used on the 4th floor Conference Center of the building, and are rolled into and out of

meeting rooms as needed.

Spouts on drinking fountains easy to refill water bottles.

High efficiency hand dryers no paper towel waste in building

Design for Waste Prevention

Davis Center – Team Effort to Reduce Waste & Be Sustainable

• Building occupants were first to use “Mini Bin” for trash.

• Sustainability is part of “mission”

• Student Life Marketing Director: Earth day, Bottle Free Day

• Annual Davis Center Waste Sort

• All Occupants Support Recycling and Waste Reduction Goals

• Custodial Services –Use of “microfiber” cleaning; reduce plastic liners

• Print & Mail Services – scrap paper notepads

Moving Beyond Recycling

How do we change the culture at an institution to emphasize waste prevention (reduce and reuse) when we’ve been emphasizing recycling and composting for decades?

“Rethink” Waste

WEPURCHASE

STUFF

WEUSE

STUFF

WEDISCARD

STUFF

RECYCLE

COMPOST

REUSE

It was “stuff” before it became waste.

Make Better Decisions “Upstream”

PURCHASE USE

In order to reduce the amount of waste on campus- hence the amount we discard- we all need to start making better decisions “up stream”

DISCARD

Waste is affected by all the decisions –both large and small - that are made by many individuals at all levels of an organization everyday.

Rethink: What We Purchase

PURCHASE

Institutional Obstacles

• Culture of “new & improved”

• Decentralized purchasing

•It’s real easy to buy “stuff”

• Increasing emphasis on food & beverage consumption in all places of our lives (meetings, in classrooms, cars)

• Emphasis on convenience “disposables” over reusables

• Proliferation of vending machines

•Perception that bottled water is “safer” than tap water more bottle waste

Do we really need it?

What’s it made out of?

Lease vs. buy?

Is it durable? Reusable? Refillable?

How far did it travel to get here?

How is it packaged?

What quantity do we really need?

What’s the ‘true’ cost? Life-cycle costs

How will we dispose of it?

Rethink: How We Use Stuff

USE

• How much do we need to use?

• Are we maintaining it to extend useful life of product/equipment?

• Can we Refill it? Refurbish it?

• Are we using it up completely?

• Are we sharing stuff with other departments?

• Can we borrow from another department?

• Can we store leftover materials for later use?

Institutional Obstacles

• Culture of replace, rather than repair.

• “We don’t own it”

• Preventive maintenance sometimes lacking

• We are not always good with sharing stuff

Rethink: How We Discard Stuff

DISCARDInstitutional Obstacles

• Waste disposal is “free” to all departments

• Recycling dept provides tools (i.e., bins) but not all people choose to use them.

• Institution is large – one person cannot be the “garbage police”

•Is it hazardous?

•Is it banned from landfill disposal?

•Can it be recycled?

•Can it be composted?

•Can it be donated? Sold?

•How do we collect it? Move it?

•Where does it go?

•What does it cost to dispose?

Shift Your Paradigm to a “Zero Waste” way of thinking.

“Upstream” Waste Prevention Programs at UVM

• Procurement Services arrangement with office supply vendor to make deliveries using reusable corrugated plastic boxes less cardboard

• Dining Services “Tray Free” in three residential dining facilities less post-consumer food waste

• Telecommunications eliminated printed directory 7 tons phone books eliminated

• Custodial Services switch microfiber cleaning rags washable, not disposable

Elimination of Desk-Side Trash Collection Service

• Custodial Services eliminated desk-side trash collection in private offices

• Optional “Mini bin” provided to all staff & faculty.

• Reduction in use of plastic bag liners reduces waste.

• People are now more aware of the amount of trash they produce each day. Cutting down on waste.

Going “Paperless”: Are we there yet?

• Paycheck disbursement

• Student grade reports

• Schedule of Courses

• Room reservation forms

• Catering request forms

Office Supply Collection And Reuse (OSCAR)

• Central location on campus• Departments can drop off or

pickup used office supplies• Sign-in book to track usage• Over 100 visits per year.• Thousands of dollars saved in

supply purchases

One Less Cup & One Less Bottle Campaign

Over 4,000 “One Less Cup” decals & over 2,000 “One Less

Bottle” decals distributed.

Dining Services discount on mug refills!

Promoting “Zero Waste” events

Summary

1. Snapshot of UVM Recycling Program

2. Measuring the Waste Stream

3. Davis Center Case Study: Building Design & Operations

4. Moving Beyond Recycling: Waste Prevention

A great information resource

“College and University Recycling

Coordinators Listserv”

RECYC-L@listserv.brown.edu

Learn more about UVM program

www.uvm.edu/recycle

recycle@uvm.edu