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University of North Carolina - Chapel Hill
 Almost 40 percent of the university’s discards are collected for recycling and the range of materials collected continues to expand. Inside and outside receptacles are available in more than 250 locations across campus to take paper, plastic, glass,
metals and cardboard. Food waste from the kitchen and dishwashing areas of Lenoir Dining Hall has been collected for off-site composting since fall 2000. Animal bedding is collected by the same firm. Batteries, scrap metal, toner cartridges, transparency film, fluorescent lamp tubes, computer
monitors and polystyrene packing peanuts are some of the other materials recycled on campus.To raise awareness of recycling, along with energy and water conservation, the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling sponsors the Green Games competition among residence halls. Plaques, certificates and cash prizes up to $600 were awarded to the most resource-efficient teams. An outside grant may broaden the scope of future competitions. During move-out at the end of spring semester 2001, “donation stations” were located in the lobby of each high-rise residence hall. Carts and signage were installed in advance to alert students to the program. Clothes and shoes, food, office supplies and personal care products were collected. The housekeeping staff was given right of first refusal on donated items. The remaining clothes and shoes were given to two local PTA thrift stores. The food and personal care products were donated to local charities, and the office supplies were set aside to distribute free of charge to students at the beginning of fall semester. In addition, carpet was identified using a hand held detection system provided by Honeywell. Almost a full tractor-trailer load of Nylon 6 and Nylon 6,6 carpet were collected for recycling. The program will be expanded in future. When students return to campus, the university sponsors a nighttime, alcohol-free Fall Fest celebration with live music, free food, and climbing walls. Recycling stations were added at the event in fall 2001. Advance work with vendors, signage, designated receptacles and adjacent tables with waste proctors made the event less wasteful than in the past. Pizza boxes were collected for composting for the first time. The Botanical Garden has also been a champion of waste free events catered at their facility. Accelerated construction and demolition activity on campus is raising the profile of C&D waste, the largest contributor to state landfills. In fall 2001, the university entered into the first salvage and demolition contract with a waste management and recycling plan required in the bid. Information about local market opportunities will be distributed to the contractor at the pre-construction conference. Waste management and recycling plans will also be required on new construction projects. Contact: B.J. Tipton | |
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