Recovery Programs UC Davis Jenni Porter, Student Housing & - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Using Waste Audits to Improve Recycling and Recovery Programs

UC Davis Jenni Porter, Student Housing & Dining Services Sue Vang, Office of Sustainability

Outline

• About UC Davis
• Retail Audits
• Resident Dining Audits
• Resident Hall Audits

About UC Davis

• 11th among public

research universities nationwide

• Top 60 among research

universities worldwide

• World leader in veterinary

medicine and agriculture

• Sustainability leader

About UC Davis

• Multiple points of

contacts for waste

• Self hauled
• Solid Waste team
• 4 drivers
• 7 vehicles

About UC Davis

• AB 1826 – organic waste

generators to collect/divert that waste by 2019

• SB 1383
• 50% reduction in organics

disposal by 2020, 75% by 2025

• 20% edible food waste to

be recovered by 2025

Statewide Goals

• UCOP Sustainable Practices Policy
• policy.ucop.edu/doc/3100155/SustainablePractice
• Zero Waste by 2020 (90% diversion)
• Systemwide diversion rate: 76%

Systemwide Goals

Campus Waste Stream

Who: OS Student Staff Member What: Audit of one complete set of

• utdoor waste bins

When: Weekly Where: Memorial Union patio Why: To understand waste bin usage, test signage messaging and placement

Retail Dining/Outdoor Commons Audit

• Contact Grounds staff
• Contact Coffee House staff
• Add liner inside compost container
• Change signs, if needed
• Train student on proper data collection, safety,

and cleanup procedures

Pre Audit Logistics

Compost Bin Messaging

Food Focus Influencer Focus

• Audit Table
• Scale
• Datasheet
• Colored bag liners
• Gloves
• Buckets
• Waterproof Apron

Supplies

• Bring waste to audit site.
• Put on protective gear.
• Weigh all bags (pre-sort) and record.
• Empty and sort one stream into 3 buckets.
• Record the sorted weights and empty the

buckets into the corresponding bag liner.

• Repeat for all three streams, then dispose of

the sorted bags properly.

• Clean up.

Procedures

• Label buckets and

record weights ahead

• f time
• Later audits separated
• ut the organics stream

(food waste vs paper vs compostable plastic)

Data Collection

Results

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60%

Food Focus Influencer Focus Influencer with Prompt

Unsorted Waste (by signage type)

Compost Landfill Recycle

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Compost Bin Landfill Bin Recycle Bin

Unsorted Waste Contamination (by bin type)

Compost Landfill Recycle

Results

86% Compost 3% Landfill 11% Recycle

Sorted Waste (Average)

Results

• Compost bins are used and

needed

• Compost stream clean
• More education to divert from

landfill, but also recycling contamination

• Noticeable impact of outside

visitors/events

• Landfill prompt
• Duct tape
• No impact?

Lessons Learned

RESIDENT DINING

Waste Audits

Overview

• Three Dining Commons (DC’s)
• Continuous Dining
• All-you-care-to-eat
• 55,000 meals per week
• 5900 Residents
• Open to all residents, students, faculty & staff

Food Waste Reduction Best Practices

• Tray-less dining
• Smaller plates/bowls
• Try-a-Taste & Just Ask
• Food Recovery Network
• Anaerobic Biodigester
• Education

Audit Description

Who: Zero Waste Team (student staff & Interns) What: Front of House waste audit When: Week 5 during fall, winter & spring quarters Where: All three DC’s Why: Measure food waste, test signs & education, gather feedback & data on food being served

Pre-audit Logistics

• 2+ weeks before audit
• Coordinate dates/times with Dining staff
• Coordinate volunteers (4-6 ideal)
• Submit supply request through catering

Supplies

• PPE – non-slip shoes guards, gloves & aprons
• Waivers for volunteers
• Scale
• 2 Waste bins*
• 2 Cambro* containers with quart markings
• 1 Strainer*
• 2 Tables* (display & sorting)

*quantities per sorting table, some DC’s require two sorting tables

Procedures

• Safety talk
• Set-up sorting station
• Set-up education table (food display)
• Record tare weights of empty bins
• Designate 1 person to record weights &

photograph, 1 person at the education/display table, 2 people per sorting table

Procedures Cont’d

• Have guests sort their waste
• Edible food waste
• Non-edible food waste
• Liquids
• Napkin waste
• Take full plates and display on table
• Record weights when bins are full
• Clean-up

Data Collection

• Weights of each waste stream
• Guest count for time period
• f audit
• Calculate weight of waste

stream per guest

Sharing Results

• Guests (mostly residents)
• Share via newsletter,

bulletin boards, posters, social media

• Interactive tabling
• Dining Team

Lessons Learned

• Guest count
• Continuous dining vs. meal period
• Noticeable impact of outside visitors
• Feedback
• i.e. Graffiti board, “Text & Tell”

Back of House Waste Audits

• ZWT uses check list to score each DC
• Visual spot check of bins and waste areas
• Communicates results to all dining staff
• Newsletter
• Bulletin Boards
• Quarterly Reports
• In person staff training
• Friendly competition between DC’s

RESIDENCE HALLS

Waste Audits

Overview

• Three Housing Areas (31 Res Halls)
• 5900 Residents
• Waste streams collected in Res Halls
• Landfill
• Mixed Recyclables
• Compost
• Other waste streams collected
• Reusables
• eWaste
• HHW

Best Practices

• Labels or Signage on all bins
• Online waste diversion guide
• Waste reduction & diversion education
• Zero Waste Competition

Audit Description

Who: Zero Waste Team (student staff & Interns) What: Perform a waste audit of the landfill, mixed recyclables and/or compost that has been collected over a 24hr period When: 1-2 per quarter Where: Selected Res Hall Why: Test signs & education, gather data on common items being sorted incorrectly

Pre-audit Logistics

• 2+ weeks before audit
• Select res hall & waste stream(s) to audit
• Coordinate dates/times with:
• Facility Maintenance staff
• Custodial Staff
• Solid Waste
• Go over collection procedures with Custodial
• Coordinate volunteers (4-6 ideal)
• Submit work orders for supplies

Supplies

• PPE – aprons/bodysuits, gloves, face mask, safety glasses
• Shade tent if applicable
• Waivers for volunteers
• Plastic for ground and table protection
• 3 large Brutes w/liners for sorting Landfill, Recyclables & Compost
• 3 Smaller bins to sort Reusables, eWaste & HHW
• Sings and tape to label bins
• Scale
• Tables for sorting
• Handheld trash grabbers and tongs
• Clipboard w/tracking sheet
• Hand Sanitizer
• Cleaning supplies – bucket, rags, cleaner, broom & dustpan

Procedures

• Safety talk
• Record tare weight of bins
• Record which waste stream is being sorted
• Designate 1 person to record weights & photograph, 3-

5 people to sort

• Sort waste into categories:
• Landfill
• Mixed Recyclables
• Compost
• Reusables
• eWaste
• Household Hazardous Waste

Procedures Cont’d

• Sorting tips:
• Loose waste is sorted with handheld trash grabbers
• Bags are emptied onto table and tongs are used for sorting
• Note if there is a large quantity of a certain type of waste and

any unusual items

• Record weights when bins are full (but not too

heavy to lift!)

• Clean-up

Data Collection

Potential diversion rate & percentage of contamination

Results

• Residents
• Share results via newsletter, social media
• Interactive tabling
• Custodial

Lessons Learned

• More education needed

to divert from landfill

• Mixed recyclables &

compost had mild contamination

• Consolidated vs.

Non-consolidated locations

Poster Pilot

Res Hall Spot Checks

• Visual inspections of bins in common areas
• Quick way to assess sorting behaviors

Thank you! Questions?

Sue Vang eusvang@ucdavis.edu Jenni Porter jeporter@ucdavis.edu