Elon University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion

The ‘Other’ materials included in the materials recycled figure are textile items.
Elon University recycles the following items but does not have weights for them for the performance and baseline years: white goods, furniture, scrap metal, pallets, tires, batteries, printer cartridges, writing instruments, thin plastics.
Elon has an electronics recycling program, which is addressed in OP-20.
The 11.72 tons reported for materials donated or re-sold is lower than the actual amount because weights are not available for all of the items donated as part of the end of year move out waste reduction program, Don't Trash It.

In May 2019, a pilot program was started which asks office occupants to empty the trash and recycling containers in their individual offices into bins at waste stations located in the hallway. The pilot was expanded in fall 2019 and again in fall 2021. As part of the pilot, new bins have been provided for individual offices in some areas - a recycling bin with a smaller trash bin that can nest inside or clip on the outside of the recycling bin. One of the expected benefits of this program is increasing awareness of trash generated and which bin to use for waste items.
In January 2019, new signage was added above the waste bins in a newly renovated dining facility to help patrons know which bin to use for their waste items.
In the summer of 2020, waste bin signage was updated on the majority of bins (indoor and outdoor) throughout campus. Waste bins were strategically moved to create waste stations (with landfill, compost, and recycle bins) where feasible.
During fall 2021, two “Landfill on the Lawn” events were held to bring awareness to the amount of items thrown in landfill bins that could be recycled or composted instead of sent to the landfill. A social media campaign, “Waste Wednesdays,” was also re-introduced during fall 2021. This campaign highlights one piece of waste each week and informs viewers how to properly sort that item.
The Office of Sustainability partners with Elon Dining to host a monthly Weigh the Waste program which brings awareness to food waste throughout campus by weighing post-consumer food waste during one dining hall lunch shift per month. Students are challenged to reduce their collective food waste each month.
In the spring, Earth Week focuses on waste reduction. Students and faculty/staff can earn prizes for participating in behaviors that reduce landfill waste or are educational around the topic of waste reduction.
Collection bins and signs are all color coded: black bags and signs for landfill items; clear bags, blue lids and blue signs for recyclables and orange bags, lids and signs for compostables.
After a student-initiated pilot was done in 2015-16, in the fall of 2016 all residence hall rooms were provided with an in-room recycling bin (which included signage) to encourage and facilitate recycling in residence halls. This program has continued.

The university worked with a consultant in FY 19-20 to do a waste audit of several buildings and review processes to develop a waste reduction master plan. Due to the pandemic, final development of the waste reduction master plan was moved to FY 21-22.

While there is not a surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program, excess and/or unwanted office supplies are reused on campus through an informal system. Any furniture that is appropriate for reuse is reused on campus.

Beginning in Fall 2019, the Eco-Reps held a bi-monthly swap shop, which encouraged Elon students, faculty and staff to bring in their used clothes, books, and housewares to swap for new-to-them items. This event was moved to a virtual format (held via Instagram) for the 2020-2021 academic year due to COVID-19 and resumed in-person for the 2021-2022 academic year. This event is now run by the Office of Sustainability Volunteer Program.

Elon has a print management system, that helps reduce both paper and toner usage on the Elon campus. Students who want to print must go to a release station and tap their Phoenix Card (student ID card) before the submitted document will print. Students are provided 'print dollars' each semester for their printing needs. In addition, duplex printing is enabled on all printers in the system. The School of Law campus in Greensboro utilizes the print management system with a higher print dollar allotment.

Many materials are available online by default and are not printed, such as the course catalogues, course schedule information and the faculty and staff directory.

The Office of Sustainability, the Kernodle Center for Civic Life, Residence Life, Goodwill and Habitat for Humanity, along with other on- and off-campus partners, collaborate to organize 'Don't Trash It!' at the end of the school year. This effort is targeted to both on- and off-campus students and seeks non-perishable food items, clothing, household goods, electronics, bedding and furniture in good condition. Items are collected and donated to several local non-profit organizations. Employees are also welcome to drop-off items at the donation stations. 'Don't Trash It!' runs for three weeks in May during final exams and through the end of May. Donations are taken to a series of drop-off points throughout campus. There is at least one collection site in every residential neighborhood. Donations are then collected and taken to central locations where community partners pick them up. In May 2021, over 11 tons of donations were collected and given to a variety of non-profit partners.
During move-in, the primary targeted waste stream is cardboard and diverting it to recycling. This is done through signage, in-person communication, environmental services staff and additional collection bins.

Historically, Elon University did not receive weight information for all of the landfill containers located on campus. This information started to be available toward the end of 2016-2017. This new data was used to estimate the weight of these containers for months when this data was not available.
The weight of materials composted for 2004-2005 represents yard waste composting. The weight of materials composted for the performance year (FY 2020-2021) includes food composting and yard waste composting. A food composting program was not present in 2004-2005.
The weight of materials recycled for 2020-2021 includes cooking oil and textiles; while the weight of materials recycled for 2004-2005 does not include cooking oil and textiles (these programs were not present in 2004-2005).
The total full-time equivalent student enrollment and full-time equivalent of employees numbers reported for the performance year above are adjusted from those reported in PRE-5 to remove the population that utilizes buildings for which waste data is not available. These buildings were not part of campus in the baseline year.