University of Minnesota, Twin Cities
OP-18: Waste Diversion

The ReUse Program was started in 1993 to divert reusable items from the landfill or incinerator. The program stores items and redistributes furniture and equipment around the University or resells it for public use.

In 2009, U of M partnered with the Neighborhood Improvement Association to host Move In / Move Out (MIMO) during the Fall and Summer, two of the highest volume generating times for students who are moving in or out of dorms and surrounding neighborhoods. During our second semi-annual MIMO event 9,141 pounds were diverted; a 5,064 pound increase from the first event held just 6 months prior. U of M plans to continue this partnership for years to come.

More recently, the U of M has begun working with gooddonor.org to publicize donation of household goods to various charities at the leisure of the employee by scheduling home pickups through gooddonor.org, an innovative website that links numerous charities to one site, allowing the donor the ability to give without spending hours searching for the charity that fits their desires.

The U of M ReUse Program has partnered with Minnesota Technical Assistance Program to develop a virtual warehouse which links donors and users of reclaimed or otherwise reusable goods to one another without the use of ReUse staff serving as the middle man. Currently, MnTAP operates the Material Exchange, a software program which facilitates exchanges statewide. The plan includes updating and automating the statewide exchange software and creating software specific to University departments for use by faculty and staff.

To get Materials recycled, composted, reused, donated, re-sold, or otherwise diverted, we added the numbers from OP-17 performance year, lines 4 and 5 and then added: scrap metal, concrete, appliances, tires, pallets, electronics, lead-acid batteries, yard waste, and brush.

To get the Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator, we added combustible debris, non-combustible debris, street sweepings, foundry sand, treated lumber, asbestos, infectious waste, and lead paint.