Beyond Disposal and Recycling– Institutional Perspective

Erica SpiegelUniversity of VermontPhysical Plant DepartmentApril 2007

Rethinking Waste

WEPURCHASE

STUFF

WEUSE

STUFF

WEDISCARD

STUFF

RECYCLING

REUSE

Need Better Decisions “Upstream”

PURCHASE USE

In order to reduce the amount of waste, better decisions must be made “upstream.”

DISCARD

Waste generation is caused by all the decisions –-both large and small -- that are made by the thousands of individuals at all levels of the institution everyday.

Institutional Barriers & Challenges to Reducing Waste

What We Purchase

KEY QUESTIONSObstacles in Institutional

Culture

• Culture of “new & improved”

• Decentralized purchasing

• It is real easy to buy “stuff”

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

Do we really need it?

Lease vs. buy?

What’s it made out of?

Is it durable? Reusable? Refillable?

How far did it travel to get here?

How is it packaged?

What quantity do we need?

What’s the ‘true’ cost?

How will we dispose of it?

How We Use Stuff

KEY QUESTIONSInstitutional Obstacles

• Culture of replace, rather than repair.

• Preventive maintenance often lacking

• We are not good with sharing stuff

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

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?

How We Discard Stuff

KEY QUESTIONS Institutional Obstacles

• Waste disposal is “free” for most departments on campus. No financial incentive to reduce waste at the departmental level.

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

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?

An institution cannot have a successful waste prevention program without cooperation by major partners within the organization:

Residential Life Dining Services Business & Financial Operations Architects & Engineering Procurement Services Conferences & Events Planning Grounds & Custodial Services Athletics And many others

Who are the people “upstream”

Opportunities and Successes in Reducing Waste

Reducing Packaging and Toxicity of Cleaning Products

Custodial services uses cleaners in concentrate form reduced plastic bottle waste and deliveries to campus

Dispensing system measures proper amount of concentrate to mix with water eliminated the “glug glug” method and overuse of chemicals

Eliminated use of plastic gallon jugs. Use “pouches” and

“bag in a box” instead

“Going Paperless” - Changing the Way We Move Information

Paycheck disbursement Student grades Schedule of Courses Job Application process Reserving meeting rooms Catering request forms

“Going Paperless”

Paycheck disbursementEliminated all printed pay stubs and checks.

Savings $15,000/year in printing costs Student grades

Registrar’s Office stopped printing and mailing student grade reports. This eliminated 11,000 multi-part forms twice per year.

“Going Paperless”

Reserving meeting roomsFacilities Scheduling Office eliminated the use

of a 6-Part NCR paper form. Savings: 11,000 NCR “forms” per year.

Catering request formsCatering Department

eliminated use of 3-part “carbon” form. Savings: 4,000 forms of non-recyclable paper per year.

Institutional vs. Individual Change

Important to distinguish between institutional policies & procedures and individual behaviors

Institutional Procedure: Paperless Individual Choice: Whether

to Print

Institutional Policy: Cup Refill Discount

Individual Choice: Whether to Carry Own

Erica SpiegelUniversity of VermontPhysical Plant Department

Erica.Spiegel@uvm.edu

www.uvm.edu/recycle

Beyond Disposal and Recycling Forum on Preventing Waste – Institutional Perspective