Boston University
OP-23: Waste Diversion

In November 2009, the University began to roll out the recycling infrastructure needed to support a more complete recycling program. This project was completed during the spring 2010 semester. The campus was divided into sections to best implement the system. Each week a new area was addressed by a team from Facilities Management & Planning, the Sustainability Liaison from the school or college, and a representative from Save That Stuff, the University’s recycling vendor. The team walked each floor in every building within the area to design a system that would integrate the recycling and waste stream systems to increase the convenience of recycling and reduce the volume of the University’s waste.

Dining Services donates on a daily basis to several local food banks and shelters through BU's Community Service Center’s Student Food Rescue (SFR) which was founded by a group of BU student volunteers in the spring of 1988, and has since become an integral part of the CSC. Volunteers collect nearly 150,000 pounds of food annually from Boston restaurants, supermarkets, bakeries, grocery surplus facilities and coffee shops. SFR organizes 26 food runs, which salvage food from donor sites and deliver it to area pantries and shelters. SFR also organizes other one-time opportunities and events throughout the year, specifically during Hunger Awareness Week in the fall.

BU's pre-consumer food waste program started in 2008 and has expanded to almost every location on campus (18/20 locations). Barrels are provided for employees to dispose of all organic waste including food waste, paper towels, compostable tableware, coffee grounds and anything else organic in the kitchen that needs to be disposed of. Each semester, training is provided for employees on how to sort. Organics are sent to one of several compost farms in the Boston area.

BU's post-consumer food waste program started in 2008 in the residential dining halls and since, has spread to retail locations as well. Universal signs are posted at retail locations with instructions on how to sort waste. Most tableware on campus is compostable, allowing for it to go into the compost bin. Also, waste from staffed catered events is always diverted to compost, and customers have the option to divert organics at their non-staffed events. The Massachusetts DEP has used Boston University Dining Services as a case study to assist other institutions in the state to prepare for the organics waste ban, effective July 2014. Boston University Dining Services was also the recipient of Mayor Menino and the City of Boston's Sustainable Food Leadership Award in 2012 for our commitment to sustainable food service, including our composting efforts.

http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/what-were-doing/waste-reduction/ http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/campus-resources/reduce-reuse-recycle/ http://www.bu.edu/sustainability/campus-resources/reduce-reuse-recycle/exchange/ http://www.bu.edu/dining/about-us/sustainability/re/