Back in February, I had the opportunity to chat with Alison Richardson and Anya Dale from the Office of Campus Sustainability about a large-scale waste audit they were organizing. Check out Part 1 of this blog post series to read what we talked about in terms of the set up and purpose for the audit. Since that time, Resource Recycling Systems (RRS) sorted the waste from 24 different buildings on campus and produced some interesting data that Alison, Anya, and their partners in this effort have been analyzing. Read Part 2 below to learn about the findings and how the data this audit produced will serve to inform both waste reduction programming and future goal setting on campus.
Kelly: You now have the data from the waste audit, and I’m really curious about what it says! Can you share some of the insights with me and our Planet Blue Ambassadors?
Anya: The primary goals of the audit were to collect data to inform a new set of waste goals for the university and identify opportunities for program growth or modification to reduce waste and increase diversion. The data confirmed our contamination rates (misplaced items in the recycling and composting) are relatively low, which is fantastic news and something we credit to a broader effort to engage staff, students and faculty in our Where to Throw training and outreach efforts. The success of our compost program in collecting food and other compostable waste in staff kitchens and other locations on campus was also demonstrated, though we gained new information about potential additional locations where food is still ending up in landfill bins. Finally, we confirmed our suspicion that there is opportunity for source-separated collection of glass and soft plastics at key locations on campus. Alison is heading up a couple of pilots this summer in response.
Kelly: Given this information, what will you all do in the near term to tweak recycling and composting programs offered on campus?
Anya: For the compost program, we are developing a plan to roll out an additional 100 compost bins in more informal eating areas and lounge spaces where food is often eaten. Our compost Program Manager, Nicole Berg, has been working with campus partners to identify some of the most opportune locations. We’re also encouraging folks to nominate a location for a compost bin via the “Adopt a Bin” program.
We’ve also identified a handful of locations that generate larger amounts of glass and plastic film and are piloting back-of-house collection in these areas over the summer. We’re collaborating with staff at the Michigan League, Michigan Union, Pierpont Commons, U-M Golf Course Clubhouse, Med Sci and MSRB Buildings, and NCRC to collect glass. Plastic film will be collected at Mosher-Jordan, Med Sci and MSRB Buildings, and NCRC. Michigan Dining and the Medical School have been great partners in this effort. Staff at these locations are enthusiastic to participate, and we’re excited to learn from these pilots and hope to expand in the future!
Kelly: Acknowledging that almost all of this waste likely started as something purchased on campus, what do you all hope to work with Procurement Services on going forward?
Anya: I’m so glad you’ve brought this up, because you are correct that it all starts with what we purchase! After all, reduction needs to be the first step. The audit helped us identify the more common items that are purchased which we could reduce through behavior change. For starters, there are still a lot of single-use items being used on campus, especially in kitchen spaces. Switching to reusables, repairing existing office furniture, and sharing items used infrequently are actions that are easy to implement and will make a noticeable change in our waste to landfill.
Procurement Services has been a great partner in scaling up the university’s commitment to environmentally and socially responsible purchasing. In the past year, they have led a workgroup to identify category-specific standards and best practices around sustainability, and are incorporating these standards into the RFX and contract language. This leadership, in conjunction with ground-up behavior change, has the potential to really make a significant difference.
In particular, working to reduce single-use to-go food containers is something we are pursuing. The City of Ann Arbor together with ZeroWaste.org, Recycle Ann Arbor and Perpetual (a national nonprofit focused on supporting cities with the design and implementation of reuse systems) are collaborating on an effort to establish a reusable foodware system in Ann Arbor, including on campus. Representatives from OCS and other campus partners (including Michigan Dining) are involved in this planning process and determining how the campus will fit into this city-wide program. Let’s also not forget, though, that Michigan Dining already offers reusable to-go containers in all campus dining halls!
Kelly: What does the audit tell you we need to be emphasizing in our education and communications about waste, recycling, and composting on campus?
Anya: The audit really reinforced the importance of on-going Where to Throw outreach, education, and engagement on campus. Some of the materials found in the landfill stream are common materials and easily divertable, like paper, cardboard, plastic bottles, and food waste. It’s a good reminder that continuing education on common items is key.
We do encourage “when in doubt, throw it out”, but only about a third of material in the landfill was actually landfill material, so we have a lot of opportunity here across all building types and building users.
Kelly: For our readers, what information from this audit should impact their behaviors, and how can they contribute to this ongoing effort to reduce our landfill waste?
Anya: Transitioning from single-use compostables to reusables is really the way to go. The compostables are still tricky for people to sort. They are a “better” option, but not the “best” option.
Alison: Taking a moment to separate our lunch waste into the proper bins, rather than dumping the whole pile into one bin, is something I hope people can try and do more. The napkins and any unwanted food can be composted. Plastic snack bags and sauce packets need to go in the landfill bin. Then, the container or paper bag can typically be recycled or composted.
Kelly: Given that our current Ann Arbor 2025 goal about waste reduction is coming up soon, in what ways do you anticipate this audit influencing future campus goals?
Anya: For starters, we know we need multiple targets to paint a full picture of waste behaviors and programs on campus. Those targets will likely be a mix of quantitative “SMART” goals, along with more directional goals. For example, we’ll likely recommend a goal for an overall diversion rate, alongside goals to reduce overall waste on campus, taking into consideration metrics around campus population and growth.
Kelly: What things were outside of the scope of this audit? What additional areas of waste reduction are you all looking into that will additionally influence future waste reduction goals?
Anya: Construction and Demolition (C&D) waste is not included in our current waste reduction goal, though we’ve been working to track waste associated with these projects for a few years. While C&D waste outside the scope of this project, our office is working closely with the Architecture, Engineering and Construction office to establish standards to both track and reduce waste from campus projects.
Alison: Reuse opportunities are another aspect we are looking to include going forward. We’re currently working to measure current and future reuse efforts on campus and establish a goal once this baseline has been established. We’re also continuing to work closely with both Athletics and Michigan Medicine. While these locations weren’t included in this audit, they will be key partners in achieving our future waste goals.