University of Calgary
OP-18: Waste Diversion

As part of the Institutional Sustainability Plan, the University of Calgary has committed to reducing its annual waste by 80% by 2020 and eventually becoming a net zero waste campus. A Recycling and Waste Management Plan was developed to support these targets in collaboration with each stakeholder involved with waste management on campus and will be completed in July 2011. The current waste and recycling portfolio includes reduction, reuse and recycling programs for over 20 material streams: Composting - 100% of leaf and yard waste composted and used in grounds applications. - 20 food vendors participating in pre-consumer food compost program. - 23 collection bins for post-consumer food organics on campus as part of pilot program. Recycling - Recycling beverage containers, cardboard & mixed paper, cell phones & rechargeable batteries, compact discs, construction and demolition waste, cooking oil, electronics, eye glasses, fluorescent tubes/light bulbs, pallets, scrap metal, tires, toner / ink jet cartridges, motor oil and vehicle batteries. Plastics, glass and metal containers are recycled on a pilot basis. - The Recycling & Waste Infrastructure standard was just completed, with almost 1000 new recycling bins being deployed in the first phase. Reduction - Campus phone books available by request only. - An increasing number of academic, administrative and operational process are being made paper-free and moved online. Reuse - Weekly surplus sale open to students, staff and the community for the purchase of surplus furniture and technology.