TGIF – End of Year Report
Recycling @ Cal
SUMMARY OF PROJECT GOALS ACCOMPLISHED in 2011-2012:
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RFP sent out and manufacturer of bins selected
Funds transferred and order for bins placed
Manufacturer delivered two round of prototypes with adjustments
Initial waster audit performed
GOALS TO ACCOMPLISH in 2012-2013:
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Resolve legal battle between University and manufacturer
Potentially send out another RFP and select a new manufacturer. This would
entail going through another round of prototypes
Purchase and install bins
Complete an additional waste audit to compare diversion rates with new bins
Use any leftover funds for educational purposes regarding recycling on campus
BIN FABRICATION
In 2011-2012 the University selected a manufacturer for the bins based of the RFP.
Theron worked with the manufacturer through multiple rounds of prototypes to determine
that the design elements were followed correctly and the quality of the bins was adequate.
He encountered multiple problems with this manufacturer, including missed deadlines
and incorrect implementation of the design elements. Currently the University is in legal
proceedings with the manufacturer, but we do not know the details of what is happening
exactly. If the University if trying to get out of its contract with the manufacturer and
they are successful, this would mean that a new RFP would go out and a new
manufacturer would be selected. We would then need to order at least one round of
prototypes to determine that design elements are followed and the quality of the bins is
accurate.
WASTE AUDIT
The waste audit performed in Upper Sproul determined the amount of waste and
contamination in three streams: landfill, paper, and bottles and cans. The audit
determined that 60% of the waste on Upper Sproul was compost, which strongly supports
that Upper Sproul would be a good location in initiate a campus compositing program.
Our bin design is flexible and composting can be added at anytime by either ordering
new bins or by changing the labels on bins in place. For example, if landfill bins were in
place on Upper Sproul, some of them could be converted to compost bins by simply
changing the label plates. The audit also showed that there are high contamination rates
on Upper Sproul. The data show that the bottles and cans bins are 94% contaminated by
waste that should be in other bins, and the paper recycling is 48% contaminated . Our
new bins should help deal with some of this contamination because the new design
includes:
1) labels that can be seen clearly from the side and from far away
2) color coding for different streams of recycling
3) different shaped apertures for different streams
In addition, the new bins have a larger volume that some of the bins on Upper Sproul (e.g.
the concrete Doty style bins). Another component that could help would be education.
For example, many people think that paper coffee cups can go in the mixed paper bin.
FUTURE GOALS
The primary goal is to have the bins ordered and placed on campus. When this happens it
would be good to have some press about the new bins, since it was a collaborative effort
between undergraduate students, graduate students and University staff. We hope that
TGIF can help facilitate this. Once the bins have been placed on campus for at least a few
weeks we need to perform an additional waste audit on Upper Sproul. Similar methods
should be used as for the first audit. In addition, it would be good to use any leftover
funds for educational purposes regarding recycling on campus. For example, educating
students about which streams go in which bins with temporary signs. Since everyone
involved with this grant will be graduating (or has already graduated) we are hoping that
TGIF staff can perform the education component, or direct the funds to another student
group that can perform the education component.