University at Buffalo
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion

N/A

FY 2012 was the implementation of single stream recycling at UB.

Carpet, ceiling tile, mattresses

Labeled and color coated collection containers, posted recycling instructions, custodial training programs.

UB has created a strategic plan to move the university toward Zero Waste. Our goal is to reduce the amount of physical waste that is produced across our campuses. The plan specifically focuses on how to improve UB’s campus-wide recycling diversion rate and expand composting opportunities.

Waste audits are conducted on campus as a way to investigate and spot-check diversion activities in specific areas. Waste audits are conducted after specific events, if contamination is suspected an attempt is made to problem solve and rectify undesirable behaviors. UB Sustainability staff works with students to conduct waste audits, and provides training in sorting and safety procedures. We also utilize the resources provided through our membership with the Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN).

UB Sustainability and UB's Contracts and Purchasing department work together to include waste minimization language into contracts wherever feasible.

The UB Swap program is currently being reconfigured but during the this STARS reporting period was active and supplied a forum for the university community to share unwanted office equipment with other colleagues.

1. Offer up to others in your unit or department
2. Submit to Asset Management to be sent out to the UB Asset Management listserv
3. Submit request to Asset Management to be sent out to SUNY wide listserv for use at other campuses
https://www.buffalo.edu/administrative-services/announcements/procurement.host.html/content/shared/www/administrative-services/news/2021/UBSwap.detail.html

The UB Quota for printing is a semesterly allowance for free printing for students, paid for by the student technology fee and meant to cover the majority of printing needs for UB students. Students may print from computing sites computer or your own computer.

UB student quota is the equivalent of:

500 black and white pages printed duplex (two-sided) for each of the Fall and Spring semesters.

200 black and white pages printed duplex for the Summer session, only if enrolled in Summer session courses.

100 black and white pages printed duplex for Winter session, only if enrolled in Winter session courses.

UB Quota does NOT roll over; a new quota is received each semester and efforts are underway to decrease the overall quota.

Our new printing initiative has led to a dramatic decrease in printing on campus: https://www.buffalo.edu/ubit/services/print-anywhere.html

Our undergraduate catalog is available only on-line, although there is a printable pdf version for those who want to print it themselves. We do not have a central graduate catalog. Our course schedule is not printed, and is only available on-line (no printable version). Similarly, course descriptions are only available on-line via HUB.

In addition, the Alumni magazine and nearly all school publications are predominately available only on-line.

The UB Directory is not printed, and is only available online.

UBReUSE is a student-run campus waste diversion program supported by UB Sustainability and Campus Living. The program captures goods during move-out, that are useful, but no longer wanted or needed by their owner. UBReUSE's goal is to connect these materials with new owners and reduce the amount of materails going to landfill.

Bins and boxes have been placed in all areas to receive clothing and non-perishable food. They will be donated to the City Mission and other local charitable organizations.

In several residence halls, various locations have been identified where students may leave any usable items – furniture, appliances, rugs, shelving materials - anything that can be re-used. Items may be claimed by anyone who can use them.

The battery recycling program is being done at all “Area Offices" within residential halls.

https://www.buffalo.edu/sustainability/news/UBReUSE.html

UB Campus Living manages collection bins for clothing and textiles across the Ellicott complex, Governors, at every apartment complex and near South Campus housing.

All members of the UB community are encouraged to donate clean, dry clothing and textiles.

UB coordinates a free professional clothing boutique, HIRED, which is dedicated to providing students and recent graduates with apparel, accessories, and personal care items that will help them achieve their career development goals. HIRED's inventory, is supplied through generous donations by community members, and has a wide array of high-quality, contemporary items. Students may try on as many items as they wish and take home one complete outfit per semester.

UB financially supports our student chapter of the Food Recovery Network on campus, paying a graduate student to manage volunteers and food recovery events within our dining facilities, coordinate with local food pantries and make deliveries, order collection materials, and track all food recovered. In the last fiscal year over 7,000 pounds of edible, prepared food has been recovered from campus dining facilities and provided to local non-profits.

The University at Buffalo waste diversion efforts are far reaching, and include comprehensive campus-wide single stream recycling and a pre-consumer compost collection program.

UB's recycling program started out in the 1970's and continued until the early 1980's before fading out from lack of interest. Recycling was re-instated in the late 1980's by a group of inspired students with University Facilities support. Their program targeted the best sites for computer and office waste paper. The paper was collected by the students and sorted at a campus loading dock. It was a lot of fun and a lot of work but it resulted in recycling only 5% of UB's solid waste stream.

A few years later, the program was "institutionalized" and became the full responsibility of University Facilities paid staff. By 1995, recycling was extended to all offices on both campuses with the distribution of under-the-desk recycling bins and "trash buddies." In the meantime, Campus Living developed its own recycling program for UB residence halls. UB Campus Dining & Shops developed a recycling program for its food service areas as well.
During the spring 1998 semester, six students participated in an internship which included a campus-wide dumpster dive and a study of recycling potential in UB's residence halls. The dive and study showed the potential for major improvements in campus recycling programs. During 1999 and 2000 public area recycling stations were established in select high-traffic indoor public areas on campus, e.g. lobbies, lounges, walkways. Over 100 public area stations were deployed in various locations throughout UB's two campuses in 2001. In 2011, UB consolidated its three individually managed recycling contracts into a one comprehensive contract for all areas of campus. It was also at this time, that the campus moved to single stream or All In One recycling collection to simplify the program for members of campus. This has resulted in significant improvements in promoting participation in our recycling program. Currently, UB recycles over twenty different materials on campus.

UB is also committed to reducing the amount of disposable materials purchased and consumed on our campuses and has undertaken several initiatives to support this approach. Initiatives include eliminating the use of Styrofoam take-out containers in campus-run dining halls.

A campus-wide ZERO WASTE strategic plan was developed by an interdisciplinary committee in Feb 2014. This document was updated in 2019 and again in 2021. A Zero Waste working group has been established to help UB achieve our 2030 Zero Waste goal.