Recycling + Waste Management
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Week 9
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At LMU, recycling followsthe philosophy of the university, and has allowed it to greatly help the urban eco-system while complementing the bottom-line. The Recycling Program is one of the few programs among educational institutions to heavily engage in the secondary processing of recovered materials. It is estimated that the cost savings is over half a million dollars. Additionally, this program employs seven student workers year-round to help pay their tuition.The true partnership of university staff and student workers has yielded tremendous results in terms of waste prevention and resource recovery.
The university began recycling in earnest in 1990 and has been receiving awards and recognition ever since. By 1995, LMU recycled 50% of all campus discards, meeting the Year 2000 California Legislative mandate five years ahead of schedule. Discarded material that was once costly to transport and dispose of as solid waste was now being shipped for free with no landfill tipping fees. Special equipment and tools developed at LMU have become a blueprint for college and university recycling efforts. Since the early 1990's, LMU has generously shared information, resources and best practices with numerous educational institutions as they develop recycling programs.
By 1999, solid waste disposal fees in the region rose more than 300% above 1990 levels. Despite these skyrocketing disposal fees -- caused by California's rapidly diminishing landfill space -- the Recycling Program has been able to hold the waste bill at a relatively constant level. For example, in FY 2002-03, despite dynamic campus growth, LMU spent less in vendor disposal fees than in FY 1990-91.
Today, LMU recycles 56% of its solid waste stream. The Recycling Program continues to meet the challenges of keeping pace with campus growth while addressing local, state and federal regulations governing new categories of waste, such as the Electronic Waste Recycling Act of 2003 (SB 24/SB 50). Innovative contracts allow LMU to financially exploit the linkages between effective recycling and reduced waste, illustrating that recycling is the most cost-effective method of solid waste management. As the program moves forward, it also works across campus to minimize the waste stream coming on to campus, for example by working with shipping and distribution. The Program is also looking for ways to increase its partnerships with the local community to promote recycling as more than just a program, but an integral component of our 3 R's: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle.
Green Waste
LMU currently recycles 100% of its green waste, becoming the first California college or university to do so. Green waste handling was improved with the addition of Facilities Management's Green Waste Loading Conveyor. This unit saves labor hours while reducing noise for our campus community and residential neighbors. The custom unit eliminated the daily 90-minute tractor exercise previously required to load the daily generated volume of green waste.