Dirty Jo Dirty Jobs a s at UMD: t UMD: Wa Waste Audit - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Dirty Jo Dirty Jobs a s at UMD: t UMD: Wa Waste Audit Coordinator

Ma# Silverman

What is a waste audit?

• Overall goals:
• Assessment of waste produced
• Analysis of waste disposal habits
• Determine effec<veness of waste management programs
• How it works:
• Gather waste from desired building(s)
• Sort through all of waste from each stream
• Landfill, Recycling, Compost
• Put waste into different categories (27 total)
• Weigh amount in each category
• Analyze efficiency of disposal and contents of waste

Responsibili=es as Waste Audit Coordinator

• What I do:
• Gather volunteers to par<cipate in audits
• AOend sustainability events to recruit
• Set up and lead waste audits
• Analyze data and observa<ons
• Create cumula<ve report similar to that of SCS Engineers

Final Waste Stream Analysis Report

• Previous reports completed in 2002, 2008, 2014
• First year of student-led audits
• Based on professional audi<ng company (SCS engineers)
• Included in the report:
• Background and procedures
• Summary of results
• Comparison to past results
• Current ini<a<ves and future recommenda<ons
• Compos<ng in residence halls
• Program costs

Prince Frederick Hall (10/23)

• Analyzed about 50 pounds each of compost, recycling, landfill
• Almost half of all waste is paper towels and food
• Compost contained only 5% contamina<on
• Recycling contained 87% recyclable material
• About 2/3 of landfill could have been diverted
• Over 28% food
• 20% of waste is unclassified
• Food wrappers
• Not recyclable or compostable materials
• Miscellaneous

95% 4% 2% Compost Landfill Recycle 8% 6% 87%

Compost Stream Recycling Stream

27.15% 9.81% 19.62% 9.68% 8.94%

Material Breakdown of Total Waste

Compostable Paper Corrugated Cardboard Food Mixed Paper Unclassified Materials

Elkton Hall (11/17)

• Compost found in assigned toters and trash dumpster
• 4% contamina<on in toters
• 15% contamina<on in dumpsters
• 2/3 of waste in landfill could have been diverted
• Recycling efficiency is 59%
• Liquids and plas<c films contaminate
• Paper towels and food are most abundant

96.08% 3.92%

Composi<on of Compost Stream

Compost Contamina<on 84.80% 15.20%

Composi<on of Compost in Dumpster

4.09% 30.24% 10.71% 8.82% 10.39% 15.28% 5.83%

Material Breakdown of Recycle Stream

Compostable Paper Corrugated Cardboard Liquids Mixed Paper PET BoOles Plas<c Films Unclassified Materials 41.63% 32.18% 26.18%

Composi<on of Landfill Stream

Compost Landfill Recycle

La Plata Hall (12/1)

• No compos<ng program
• Analyzed all of recycling and landfill waste
• Large air filters, downspout piece, 34lb bag of pineapple in landfill

63.83% 24.69% 11.49%

Composi<on of Landfill Stream

Compost Landfill Recycle 55.04% 30.68% 14.28%

Composi<on of Landfill Stream without Pineapple

• 65% recycling efficiency
• Mostly cardboard and mixed paper
• Contamina<on from unclassified items,

liquids, compost

• Most waste from paper towels, food

28.66% 5.78% 6.04% 11.31% 9.51% 19.02%

Material Breakdown of Recycling Stream

Corrugated Cardboard Glass Containers Liquids Mixed Paper PET BoOles Unclassified Materials 37.88% 29.78% 32.34%

Composi<on of Total Waste without Pineapple

Compost Landfill Recycle 46.28% 25.75% 27.97%

Composi<on of Total Waste

Compost Landfill Recycle

Spring 2018 Projects

• Low rise, apartment/suite style residence halls
• Dining hall audits
• Recycling and landfill audited the same way
• Clearing student’s plates into different food categories
• Indicator for menu planning, food waste, dining hall programs
• Comparison to 2014 report
• Create waste stream analysis report for UMD
• Examine other programs and make recommenda<ons

Thank you!

• Adrienne Small, Recycling Coordinator
• Cindy Felice, Associate Director of Residen<al Facili<es
• Allison Tjaden, Assistant Director of New Ini<a<ves, UMD Dining Services
• Andrew Muir, Communica<ons Manager for the Office of Sustainability
• SustainableUMD for hos<ng events
• All volunteers who par<cipated

Ques=ons?