seas recycling center - university of pennsylvania
TRANSCRIPT
Green Fund Final Report
Project Overview To accommodate the growing recycling needs of the School of Engineering and Applied Science (SEAS), the SEAS Green Team redesigned an existing trash room in the Towne Building with the assistance of a Green Fund grant. Creating a space for recycling collection out of an area already designated for waste stream collection would send a strong signal of SEAS’ commitment to sustainability and be aligned with University’s Climate Action Plan goals. The SEAS Recycling Center provides convenient access to the University’s single-‐stream recycling system as well as collections for non-‐traditional items, such as CFLs, ink and toner cartridges, electronic waste, pens and markers, and batteries. Since the project’s completion in September 2012 and the submission of the Green Fund Final Report in October 2013, more than 28,780 lbs. of assorted recycling was diverted from the SEAS waste stream through the Recycling Center. Diverting items from the trash stream leaves more room in the FRES Urban Park trash trucks, contributing to more efficient pick-‐up trips and saving on truck fuel usage. Most of these diverted items are broken down to their simplest forms and the raw materials are re-‐sold, decreasing natural resource depletion and providing alternative supply chains for manufacturers and businesses both locally and nationally. This diversion system and related reduction in trash waste has allowed SEAS to permanently remove two trash dumpsters. The Recycling Center also provides greater awareness of electronic device procurement and life cycle. For example, the SEAS IT department uses E-‐waste removal metric data to help reduce unnecessary or excessive ordering of equipment. The modest space with simple collection & storage systems in the Recycling Center allows SEAS to retain recyclables in-‐house for longer periods. The transition to monthly removal trips from previous daily or weekly removal intervals reduces carbon emissions from recycling
SEAS Recycling Center Completed Fall 2012 Green Fund Awarded Spring 2012 Grant Amount: $17,250
Green Fund Final Report
collection vehicles. The SEAS Recycling Center has been a successful endeavor that positions the School to contribute to the University’s Climate Action Plan Goal of a 40% diversion rate by 2014. The SEAS Green Team provides information about the project goals and their partnership with E-‐Force, a University-‐approved e-‐waste recycling vendor, on their website. See page 3 for photos from the launch of the Recycling Center. Lessons Learned There have been valuable lessons learned through the implementation and operation of the Recycling Center, which have provided SEAS with information to improve the center’s management and messaging strategies to enhance the effectiveness of the center. Some challenges that have been identified include regulatory compliance issues surrounding the recycling process of materials like batteries. SEAS advocates for continued progress on these issues through the implementation of campus-‐wide collection and disposal policies. Logistical issues also pose difficulties for the Recycling Center including the need for effective signage and layout display for drop off and pick up of recyclables, volume tracking and storage adjustment, improved vendor relations and consistent data and financial reporting systems. Despite the self-‐serving nature of the Center, it still requires maintenance. SEAS encountered some difficulties in keeping the location organized and identified the need for volunteers to regularly check the space for clutter. Housekeepers are an integral component to successful operation and provide consistent feedback on the changing nature of the Recycling Center. Food waste is now the largest item in SEAS’ waste stream and no collection or removal process exists yet. The flexibility of the Recycling Center is celebrated for its ability to accommodate the changing nature of waste streams as the project progresses. One reason why the Green Fund Review Board funded the SEAS Recycling Center was because of its scalability and ability to be replicated in locations across the University. In the fall of 2013, the Perelman School of Medicine opened a recycling room, based on the success of the SEAS recycling room.
Green Fund Final Report
Photos from the SEAS Recycling Center Grand Opening