University of California, San Diego
OP-19: Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion

UC San Diego's Climate Action Plan has committed to meeting the following UCOP waste goals: 1. 50% waste diversion by June 30, 2008 2. 75% waste diversion by June 30, 2012 3. Zero waste by 2020 UC San Diego is constantly seeking avenues to reduce waste on campus and expand our recycling program and use of recycled products. In our application for previous years we have highlighted many of our waste reduction and reuse effort, which are briefly outlined below: On site use of mulch produced on our grounds On site composting Reclamation of carpet Resale of surplus electronics Oil Collection for re-refining Utilizing retreaded tires on campus shuttles Reuse of packing materials for packaging customer orders on campus Donation of furniture, electronics and non-perishable food to charitable organizations upon student move out Encourage reuse over recycling by utilizing plates and cutlery that are not disposable Cash incentives for the use of reusable mugs Copiers are defaulted to double sided printing for all of Business Affairs Discontinued use of disposable plastic bags at The UC San Diego Bookstore While many programs have been in place for previous application periods enhancements are constantly being considered and implemented for our programs. For instance, in the past china plates and cutlery were available for sit down dining; however this year the program was expended to include students who wished to take their meals back to their residence hall. Receptacles are now available to deposit these materials for collection in the residence halls and return them to dining facilities. In the first year of the program Housing*Dining*Hospitality reduced waste disposal by 46 tons over the previous year. There are “compostable” disposable options, but there is a surcharge for using them. We find almost all students opting for the reusable option. In 2009 we also implemented the use of Dyson hand dryers to reduce the use of paper towels on campus. The trash waste alone decreased by 512 tons from 2008 to 2009.