PROJECT REPORT
(approximately 2000 words)
Please attached and reference any photos, tables, figures to explain the story, etc)
Date this report was
supplied
Project Title:
24 September 2012
Project Facilitator &
Organisation
Name: Aaron Magner
Title: Director
Organisation: UNSW Sustainability
Installation of Public Place Recycling (PPR) infrastructure and recycling
signage at the University of New South Wales (UNSW)
Address: C/- Executive Director University Services
Phone: 0418964806
Email: a.magner@unsw.edu.au
Introduction and Aim:
The key purpose is to encourage improved resource recovery by staff,
(1-2 paragraphs) What students and visitors to meet UNSW waste minimisation strategy
was the key purpose
targets. The objective is to advance sustainable management of waste
and goals of the project? within UNSW and meet community expectations ensuring the
Start and finish date of
university’s long-term environmental sustainability.
project. Why was your
organisation interested
The project commenced in September 2010 when UNSW
in doing this project with commissioned a physical waste audit to gain compositional waste data
the PSF?
of the main UNSW campus, this identified a large portion of recyclables
in the general waste bins. In August 2011 UNSW developed tender
documents for a waste services contractor who could effect waste
diversion and resource recovery in line with UNSW objectives. A study
was also undertaken to identify placement and implementation of a
public place recycling system on the main UNSW campus. The
education component and food waste trial is ongoing. The project was
completed in January 2012 with implementation of the PPR system.
During this time UNSW embarked on a concerted campaign to reduce
waste at the University, particularly the amount of waste going to
landfill, and to ensure that waste that is produced is managed
responsibly. Some parts of the university community were very
interested in public place recycling. The PSF was identified as an
organisation that may be able to provide funding and resources to
assist UNSW to deliver a PPR program.
Key activities: what
did you do?
(Eg: number of &
locations or sites,
promotions,
communication, strategy
development and
approvals)
Until recently, UNSW had a waste contract which did not facilitate
resource recovery and provided little data to inform decision‐making.
Although recycling schemes to various degrees of effectiveness had
been in place in the past and were working well for some waste
streams such as paper and cardboard, the opportunity to go out to the
market with a tender in 2011 provided an opportunity to dramatically
improve the sustainability performance of waste management at the
University.
To inform planning processes, UNSW first engaged an independent
waste consultant to undertake a waste audit. This provided a much
better understanding of the composition of our waste and highlighted
recycling opportunities. The tender process was conducted with a fairly
open brief encouraging suppliers to identify the ways in which they
could boost UNSW sustainability performance in a cost‐effective
manner, and to specifically identify opportunities to provide innovative,
valued‐added solutions. Tenderers were asked to provide options for
waste streams including general waste, paper and cardboard,
commingled recyclables, green waste, hard waste and food waste.
Electronic waste (e‐waste) was initially included in the scope but later
removed and dealt with under the IT contract.
The successful tenderer was awarded the contract for various reasons,
including the fact that they provided the services of a Materials
Recovery Facility (MRF) for off‐site sorting of recyclables, avoiding the
problems associated with contamination from public place recycling
facilities and also simplifying UNSW waste operations. They also
provided the University with a dedicated waste truck, which makes
measurement of waste quantities generated by the University more
accurate and provided a dedicated on‐site supervisor to help identify
opportunities to further improve the system. The initiative included
installation of public place recycling bins with support from the
Packaging Stewardship Forum, and a concerted communications
campaign to raise awareness.
The PPR system was introduced at UNSW’s main campus in
Kensington. 60 new 240 bin stations were introduced and
approximately 100 smaller 60 litre fixed external litter bins were
removed.
Impact: Number of
participants (students,
passengers, etc)
affected by the project
Approximately 50,000 students from over 120 countries and over 5,000
staff. The main UNSW campus, which is where the public place
recycling bins have been installed and back of house food waste
programme has been trialled, is located on a 38-hectare site at
Kensington in Sydney.
Key Outcomes:
Of the project. This
should include total
tonnes diverted for
recycling to date (and
over what time period),
and projected tonnes
over a 12 month period.
(1 paragraph)
A total of 964 tonnes of material has been recovered from
commencement of the new waste services contract on 1 November
2011 to 30 June 2012. This waste would have been previously
disposed to landfill and represents 74.8% of this waste stream. Of this
101 tonnes is mixed containers recovered for recycling or 10.4% of the
total waste stream. The public place system compliments the new
contract providing at home recycling practice in an away from home
situation. The back of house food waste trial recovered 32.6% of the
stream. Projected over a twelve month period to 31 October 2012 it is
estimated that 1,446 tonnes of wastes will be recovered. This includes
paper and cardboard, mixed containers, plastic film and food. See
Attachment 1 – Waste and Recycling Resource Recovery Report for
waste stream details.
Communications:
Who have project
results been
communicated to? How
have they been
The awareness program has targeted UNSW students, employees
including academic and professional staff and UNSW stakeholders
such as food outlets, other retail outlets and contractors, e.g. cleaning
staff, grounds staff.
communicated?
What further
communications are
required and to whom?
(1-2 paragraphs)
Results have been communicated through various media. This
includes conducting the Waste Not Want Not forum on 31 May 2012,
postings on the sustainability page of the UNSW website, as updates
on the news@unsw web page, as news item for Universe and ARC
publications and through tours of our waste contractor’s MRF. Results
are also discussed through integration into teaching and learning at the
university as a case study in post graduate environmental management
programs and solid waste management courses. We are currently
exploring opportunities to integrate the program with undergraduate
research projects.
Further communications will be ongoing with staff students and
stakeholders via UNSW media and the UNSW website as opportunities
arise and results are updated. As identified in the Interim Waste
Strategy, UNSW expects to produce a Final Draft Waste Strategy in
late 2013. During this time UNSW will be working with stakeholders and
UNSW community in the development the final Strategy. There will also
be further opportunity for the UNSW community to review and comment
on the Final Draft Waste Strategy in 2012/13.
See Attachment 2 – Communications Plan / timetable and
Attachment 4 Bin stickers and posters.
Key Highlights:
New partners, new
strategies, new
directions? Possibly
other new projects or
funding as a result of
this project
Possible new programmes are in waste education, monitoring and Ewaste recovery. To assess the effectiveness of our current waste
education programmes we would like to conduct a physical waste audit
for compositional data on the waste streams and a visual survey of
correct bin usage. This will include development of a questionnaire to
ascertain waste behaviors, awareness, and attitude of the UNSW
community including other UNSW campuses with a view to rolling out
the PPR and food waste programme.
UNSW is also interested is assessing its suppliers in terms of their
commitments to sustainability through waste avoidance, resource
recovery and environmental accounting e.g. extended producer
responsibility (EPR), closed loop and end of life management. This has
potential to lead to partnerships with preferred suppliers based on
supply chain environmental values.
Key Issues:
Issues – what would you
do better next time
around and how did you
get over them this time
The introduction of public place recycling at UNSW had the strong
support of students and staff. The formation of a waste and recycling
management committee with input from FM, Procurement, OHS, the
legal office, UNSW Sustainability, student representatives and the use
of waste consultants APrince ensured the new waste contracts were
implemented to high professional standard. While there were
administrative and communication challenges these were overcome
with valuable relationships made and internal knowledge and capacity
built through the process. The timing of the installation of new bins for
the January-February was a good decision and would be replicated in
the event of the need to roll out new bin infrastructure in the future.
Community and
organisational
feedback/acceptance
on project
It appears that the UNSW community has responded favourably to the
PPR programme with student, staff and vendors in the food trial,
enthusiastic about the potential environmental gains that can be
achieved through that system.
Generally the community is passionate about sustainability and sees
the connection to waste avoidance and recycling as part of
environmental responsibility. The PPR bins have been designed and
are configured to promote at home recycling practice through
recognition of the domestic system in the public place. It is difficult to
measure the community’s acceptance and the programme’s success
without conducting a physical waste audit as described above.
Actual costs:
(total project value and
organisation/PSF
funding contribution) this can be financial
costs as well as
highlighting inkind time
to achieve the project
Funding of $35,000.00 has been expended for the PPR bins and
posters and stickers provided by PSF. Funding payments are tied to
milestones as per the PSF/UNSW MOU.
Recommendations
what can you share with
others who might follow
in your footsteps
(4-6 paragraphs)
We have had a positive experience in dealing with the PSF and would
recommend to others who are perusing a similar objective in relation to
packaging waste, recycling and waste minimisation programmes to
contact the PSF for guidance and possible funding and educational
resources.
This is a small portion of the annual waste contract management cost,
which is commercial in confidence. The University has a Sustainability
Director, a Facilities Management General Services Manager,
responsible for waste and cleaning services and dedicated
waste/recycling collection and storage infrastructure. The student body
and key staff have also contributed time to the rollout of the new
program. All of which are essential parts of a successful resource
recovery program.
We recommend the use of specific and accurate data to inform
decisions on any systems to be implemented with clearly defined
targets and objectives.
Communication with stakeholders is critical in the design, application
and implementation process. Design must take into account realistic
timeframes and fit within budgeted allocations. It is equally important to
identify milestones, time frames and responsibilities in the early stages
and as the project progress to in order monitor, plan and inform
implementation processes. These milestones and timeframes should
be communicated to stakeholders and interested community members
as appropriately and effectively as possible to ensure outreach.
Next Steps - the
Future
(1-2 paragraph)
What is next? What
learnings from this
project will you use in
the future? Expansion of
recycling etc.
(Include a timeline and
how these will occur)
Project Facilitator
Comments and Sign
Off:
PSF Manager
Comments and Sign
Project implementation must be followed with ongoing monitoring to
ensure system effectiveness in meeting identified objects and targets.
Results must be recorded, analysed and communicated.
Subject to funding and review of the PPR and food trial on the main
campus the two programmes have potential to be rolled out to other
major campuses such as the Western campus, College of Fine Arts
and the Australia Defence Force Academy. This has potential to
increase resource recovery at UNSW. It is intended UNSW follow up
with a physical waste audit and survey to measure the effectiveness of
the waste education and communication programmes and PPR.
Off:
Partners or colleagues
you may like to
acknowledge (name,
title and how they
assisted)
Many staff and students contributed to the successful roll out of public
place recycling at UNSW. Key among them were the Waste
Management Committee Members Mark Clarke, Jenny Denman, Adam
Jansen, Aaron Magner, Fiona Martin. From Facilities Management Bob
Wilcox, Phil Grounds, Alexander James. Tender drafting and contract
preparation managed by Antonella D’Arcy, the Procurement and Legal
office. UNSW students were instrumental in demanding the university
implement public place recycling with special mention to Aidan
Runagall-McNaull, Roberta De Andrade, Charlotte Mills, Jess Ngo,
Lucas Marshall, Osman Faruqi, Alex Surace and Wangari Muchiri.
Communications and marketing advice was provided by Diala Barsoum
and Kate Sutters from FM communications team and Fran Strachan
and Denise Knight form Media and Communications. David Turnbull
and the Web Development team. Bernard Johnston, Janelle Booth and
Anne Prince from APrince waste consultant. Paul Doyle, Ian Quant and
delivery drivers from Doyle Bros. Sabina Wills, Trish McGee and Rachel
Sneddon from the Product Stewardship Forum, and last but not least
Arifa Sarfras from UNSW Sustainability.
Attachments
1.
2.
3.
4.
Waste and Recycling Resource Recovery Report
Communication plan
PowerPoint presentation
Bin stickers and posters
Attachment 1
Waste and Recycling Resource Recovery Report
Tonnage of recovered waste
(Nov 2011 - Jun 2012)
50.0
Nov 11
Dec 11
Jan 12
Feb 12
Mar 12
Apr 12
May 12
Jun 12
45.0
40.0
Tonnes
35.0
30.0
25.0
20.0
15.0
10.0
5.0
0.0
Tonnes
Tonnes
Tonnes
Tonnes
Tonnes
Tonnes
Tonnes
Tonnes
Paper & Cardboard
29.8
19.7
18.8
26.0
41.8
37.3
44.3
38.0
Mixed Containers
14.4
10.2
8.4
10.6
15.0
12.2
15.1
14.8
Plastic Film
5.2
3.6
3.2
5.2
7.0
6.3
10.2
9.6
Food & Organics
37.3
26.3
27.9
39.0
49.3
44.8
48.6
40.8
Landfill
38.5
22.4
17.5
30.4
42.8
28.6
31.6
31.1
Total
125.2
82.2
75.8
111.2
155.9
129.2
149.8
134.3
Attachment
2 – Communication
plan
Communications Plan
Waste reduction and recycling
Objective
To promote UNSW’s new waste and recycling arrangement. In particular to promote the:
-
Introduction of public place recycling
-
Introduction back of house food waste
-
Arrangement for the recycling of other waste streams
-
UNSW’s environmental sustainability and enhance the image of the UNSW brand.
Audiences
The key audience to whom this communications campaign will address are:
-
UNSW students: especially active and engaged student leaders and those interested in environmental
sustainability.
UNSW employees: academic, professional staff
UNSW stakeholders: such as cleaning contractors and visitors
More specifically UNSW constituencies within these groups can be further categorised as follows:
-
UNSW Students:
o Arc
o Student publications
o Tharunka
o Environmentally active and aware students: Enviro Collective, IES students
o Yellow Shirts
o All students
-
UNSW Employees
o Executive
o Faculty General Managers
o Academic Staff
o Professional and administrative staff
-
UNSW Stakeholders
o Retail outlets
 The Café’s
 Food Outlets
 Other retail outlets
o Contractors
 Cleaning staff
 Grounds staff
o Prospective Students and parents
o Media
o Donors
o Environment Community
Communication details and timetable
The objectives of the communications campaign are to be accomplished by the dates and by the people listed as
responsible for completing the tasks set out below:
Task
Details
Date
Responsibility
UNSW O-Week stall
Develop key messages
UNSW home page banner
Social Media:
Facebook and Twitter
UNSW databases
Media story
UNSW news
MyUNSW
Public launch (media event?)
Public Forum
Signage on UNSW truck and Doyle
truck
Update and relaunch website
UNSW sustainability stall
Diala to prepare first draft.
Targeted to students, staff, community
and media
Marketing/Media and Communications
Regular mentions and partial article
replication on the UNSW corporate
Facebook and Twitter sites and UNSW
Sustainability
www.facebook.com/SustainUNSW
Staff: AdminNet, TechNet
Students: Lowdown
Press Release
replicate stories on home page and
provide link to subscription
Article in News@UNSW
My Announcements
19 Feb
March
AM
AM, Diala
Feb/March
Feb/March
AM, Dane
Laura Todd/ Aaron
Feb/March
AM
Invite a speaker
John Dee? Veena Sahajwalla or another
high profile academic.
Student and staff focus public forum
UNSW recycling signage on Doyle truck
and UNSW paper and cardboard
recycling truck.
<www.recycling.unsw.edu.au>
March/April
Student engagement
Student Clubs and Societies
ARC Yellow Shirts and student members
Powerpoints
Stickers on the bins
Tours of Doyle Bros Silverwater
facility for students
Draft prepared for public forum
Provided by PSF
Doyles tour ideas: Signage at the factory
for each of the piles – eg Plastic, Paper,
metal
Put a yellow top bins behind them which
the cleaner’s then take.
Food Waste Stream
Update current fact sheet.
Jonathon Straus to be provided briefing
notes on recycling on campus to pass on
to tours
Stickers on the bins
Reporting requirements as a condition of
$40K funding
Collection Point
Procedure
Communications
Industry update (FM)
Library lawn Café
Fact Sheets
Campus Tours
Container Recycling Poster
Product Stewardship Forum
reporting
E-waste
Posters
-
Meeting with cleaners
YouTube Clip
- in student areas.
To brief on new arrangements
Waste Facility
in bin shed, depots and compounds
Fran, Judy
March
March
April
February
Fran, Judy
Elisabeth Crawford,
Diala
PSF, Central Web
Unit and Media
Office
JD, FM, AM et. al.
AP, BJ, AM
Feb/March
AM, Central Web
Unit Media Office
Aiden, Arc, Brad
Hannagan, AM, BJ
March
2012
AM, Media, AP.
Done
AM
March
Mark Clarke
Sem 1
March 2012
Aaron
Diala
Complete
Feb/March
AM, Help Industries
AM
IT, FM, AM, HP
Diala
Bob, Dorothy
FM
Review: Monthly review. Follow up Waste audit. Method for measuring results. Evaluation.
Aaron Magner
UNSW Sustainability
Attachment 3 – Presentation – where your waste goes
See: UNSW - How we manage waste and recycling on Slideshare at:
http://www.slideshare.net/AaronMagner/unsw-how-we-manage-waste-and-recycling
Attachment 3 – Bin stickers and posters
UNSW WASTE & RECYCLING SIGNAGE
Examples of poster and corflute signs used for two bin system (not participating in food waste trial) and three bin
system (participating food waste trial) back of house and bin collection point
Two bin system
Location:
Back of house and bin bays (bin collection points)
Type:
Art work is for both posters and corflute signs
Quantity:
two bin system = 38*
three bin system = 12
Three bin system
Rationale: UNSW advice is that the food waste trial will be incremental and not all food outlets are included. Food
outlets require signage that shows what can go into each bin for each system, i.e. the two bin garbage and recycling
system for those food outlets not participating in the food waste trial and the three bin system, i.e. food waste,
garbage and container recycling for those vendors participating in the food waste trial.
The posters were placed back of house to educate vendors of what is accepted in each system. The corflute signs are
in the bin bays so cleaners who collect waste from campus in trolleys and deposit it know what material to place in
which bin.
Consideration: need to consider how many bin bays will house food waste bins;
modus operandi of cleaners under new new dual bin public place recycling system if cleaners will still collect waste by
bag liner and trolley and then deposit into relative bin.
UNSW FOOD WASTE SIGNAGE
1. Food waste poster
2. Food waste bin sticker
Location: Back of house and on individual food waste bins
Type: Art work is for both poster (1) and bin sticker (2) for food waste bin.
Quantity:
poster = 50
bin sticker = 50
Rationale: These posters and stickers can be used as vendors join the food waste trial. The individual food waste
posters will serve as a back up when the three bin system posters are used up. Alternatively three bin system posters
can be re-printed from the art work.
The posters will go in back of house to educate vendors of what is accepted in each system as they join the trial. The
bin stickers are for the food waste bins to distinguish them from garbage and recycling bins which will also have bin
stickers being organised by UNSW and provided by PSF.
Consideration: need to consider if UNSW want to print individual food waste posters or order three bin system
posters as vendors join food waste trial.
UNSW BIN ENCLOSURE SIGNAGE
Public place garbage and container recycling bin & shroud stickers
Garbage - aperture sticker and sticker for shroud from
PSF
Recycling - aperture sticker and sticker for shroud from
PSF
UNSW has organised the supply and delivery of stickers for public place garbage and recycling bins and bin shrouds
for the dual bin recycling stations from PSF.
Location: all public place bin stations - stickers for individual waste designated (garbage and container recycling) 240
litre MGBs and stickers for front and rear of of bin shrouds for public place dual bin stations (garbage and container
recycling).
Type: Both stickers organised by UNSW from PSF
Quantity:
bin sticker = 60 organised by UNSW with PSF
shroud sticker s = 60 organised by UNSW with PSF
Rationale: Product Stewardship Forum (PSF) has granted funds for the introduction of the proposed public place
recycling system. As part of this UNSW has organised with the PSF stickers for both the individual garbage and
recycling bins (MGBs) and the stickers that will be used on the bin shrouds. UNSW will arrange the bin stickers to be
plaaced on the bins and shrouds by UNSW staff.