University of Richmond
OP-23: Waste Diversion

The University of Richmond adopted mixed or single-stream recycling on campus in 2013. We participate in RecycleMania each year to encourage recycling and educate users on the appropriate bin. The University uses blue recycling bins and black, grey, or tan trash bins. Residents of the University Forest Apartment and Fraternity row have drop off locations to ensure that their trash and recycling end up in the correct bin. Items collected in the singe stream include the following: Empty aluminum/steel/tin cans; Empty glass bottles; Empty plastics #1-#7 (No polystyrene/styrofoam); All mixed paper (envelopes, copy paper, paper bags, chipboard, telephone books, junk mail, books, magazines, cardboard, newspaper, etc.); paperboard; cardboard; tin and bi-metallic containers (including aerosol cans). The Green Office Program has multiple items related to recycling and reuse, as does the Green Room Program. Outreach events for both programs include a recycling overview. There is a culture of waste minimization in Facilities, IS, and Safety. Scrap metal, wood pallets, other wood materials, yard waste, tires, bulbs, batteries, carpet, food service grease, and electronic waste are all diverted from the landfill through assorted recycling and reuse programs. At the end of spring semester, the University hosts a giant yard sale to divert move-out waste from the landfill. The yard sale is open to the community at large and provides and opportunity for reuse, unsold items are donated.

Catering and Dining Services have a stated goal of booking no more than will be eaten, but this standard cannot always be met. Instances arise when our food service providers have leftover products. In such instances, they donate products to the Central Virginia Foodbank. In addition, produce and dairy that remains in the coolers at the end of a semester and have not reached their expiration dates are also donated to the Foodbank. In 2015, a chapter of the Food Recovery Network was established. The group collects excess food from events on campus and then works with local partner agencies in the city of Richmond to take the food and use it to feed the hungry and homeless.

Pre-consumer liquid and solid food waste is processed using a pulper which grinds and then reduces the volume of waste. The end product is transported to the Department of Corrections Environmental Services Unit at Meadow Farm for composting. Total food product that went to composting for 2015 was 41,015 pounds.

We are exploring post-consumer food waste with local compost haulers. A pilot to reduce paper towel waste is scheduled for winter 2016. A pilot to capture post-consumer food waste is scheduled for May 2016.