Cornell University
OP-23: Waste Diversion

Recycling efforts have a longstanding tradition at Cornell University, and are continuing to grow. In July of 2010 the recycling operation, historically a function of the Grounds Department, became an independent unit in Facilities Operations. This department is “R5 Operations;” the five R's representing Respect, Rethink, Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle. R5 Operations oversees the recycle streams for paper, cardboard, glass, tin, plastic, toners and ink cartridges, CD’s, computers and electronics, waste oil, scrap metal, wood, tires, and refrigerated units. R5 Operations is also working to improve reuse efforts for office supplies, furniture, and other items. A core purpose for R5 Operations is a commitment to community engagement. In the 2012 they had a presence at new student orientations, hosted an open house, facilitated Cornell’s second year of participation in Recyclemania, celebrated America Recycles Day, hosted an electronic scrap collection event, and tabled a number of events. Teaming with departments is a key to growing success. Cornell’s Building Care and R5 Operations are worked jointly to transition the campus to a single stream recycling system in the fall of 2011. Cornell’s Campus Mail and R5 Operations work together to offer a battery/CD/toner cartridge collection program with over 100 collection points . More team projects are on the way. Recyclemania 2012 was Cornell’s second year in the game, and proved to be a wonderful opportunity for collaboration with broad support from student groups representing all undergraduate classes and many graduate programs. Departments all over the campus worked not only to recycle and compost, but to help boost school spirit through communications and event support. R5 Operations is only one unit working with waste. Positive impacts on the university’s waste stream are broad. To mention only a few efforts: the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences (CALS) operate the on-campus composting program; initiatives in Cornell Dining reduce food waste through improved preparation practices; policies on LEED certified construction reduce landfill waste; and reduction of printing and paper use in many departments impact the overall waste stream; the Cornell Waste Management Institute serves the campus and the public through research, outreach, training, and technical assistance, with a focus on organic residuals.

Cornell Dining regularly donates produce and dairy products to the Food Bank of the Southern Tier which services 7 counties in the region. Cornell Dining also works with the Food Recovery Network to donate prepared, perishable food to Loaves and Fishes and other food banks in the Finger Lakes Region. Cornell University Farms and the Cornell University Orchards donate large amounts of food. However, as this food is grown outside of the STARS institutional boundary the tonnages are not included in the waste diversion metrics. Most of Cornell's donated produce from University farms is grown off-campus, predominately at the Freeville Farm and now exceed well over 1-million pounds (article on this program at http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/2012/10/volunteers-harvest-spuds-food-bank). Donations from our “on campus” farm locations are minimal as the crops are more agronomic (corn-soybean-wheat) and less fresh market in nature. Additionally, donations are made from the Cornell Orchards. While some of the food is grown within the Cornell STARS boundary, most is grown at the Geneva, NY campus. In the 2013-14 academic year the Orchards donated 407.3 bushels of apples and 103.5 gallons of cider, 8 quarts of plums, 8 quarts of donut peaches, 139.39 lbs. of peaches and 1 bushel of pears.

All of Cornell Dining’s pre-consumer food waste is collected in every Dining unit and composted by one of the Cornell University Agricultural Experiment Station (CUAES) farms, Farm Services. Pre-consumer composting includes all food waste and compostable paper and plant-based products being composted during preparation and cooking before being served to customers, including all produce, dairy, meat trim loss, and any other food products that would not be eaten or salvaged.

The University’s compost facility is operated by CUAES Farm Services. Farm services collects about 837 tons of food scraps and other compostables from 15 dining hall on campus. Farm Services handles 57 waste streams across campus and composts about 7406 tons of waste annually. In addition to food waste composting, 6377 tons of animal manure and bedding from the School of Veterinary Medicine, the Cornell Dairy program and other animal facilities on campus, and 217 tons of plant material and soil from greenhouses and other plant growth operations on campus are composted at the facility.

mattresses, pcb containing ballasts, electronics, plastic film (plastic bags, bubble wrap, etc.), reuse, yard waste

For information on reuse at Cornell visit http://r5.fs.cornell.edu.