Waste characterizations provide a great opportunity to learn first-(gloved)hand about the waste cycle and related issues on campus.
Our purpose is to characterize the waste that we are sending to the landfill to see where we need to improve or expand waste reduction, recycling, and composting programs. These characterizations will allow us to develop useful and interesting data on the waste stream that will help us reduce landfill waste from campus, with the goal of achieving Zero Waste*.
Participating in a waste characterization can be highly instructive for all participants. Many say that they are much more interested in recycling and composting or that they have a better idea of their individual impact after participating.
Staff, faculty, and students are all welcome to participate. We aim for 10-20 volunteers who open bags of trash and sort the material into 16 categories that we then measure and weigh. Lab coats/suits, gloves, glasses, and other protective gear are provided. It's not as gross as you might think!
The Center for Sustainability & Facilities typically schedules one Waste Characterization per quarter. Special characterizations can be arranged for groups, RLC's, or classes. Please contact recycling@scu.edu if you are interested in volunteering or arranging a group.
*Zero Waste is a 90% or higher waste diversion rate via reduction of waste sent to the landfill or incinerator by reducing, reusing, recycling, composting, donating, or re-selling.
We look at a particular dumpster and sort waste into our usual three categories: compost, recycle, and landfill.
Flowers or plant matter should be going into the compost. (A rule of thumb: If it was once alive, it goes into the compost!)
Every quarter, students join us to analyze a particular building's landfill, recycling, and/or compost dumpsters.
Waste characterizations offer hands-on learning and fun! Once you try it, you'll always remember where things go!
In tracking a building's progress, we weigh each kind of type of waste, and correctly sort it all.
Participants can gear up in hazmat suits, 2 layers of gloves, and/or lab coats at our events!
We separate waste into categories and weigh each of them to help us determine how we can improve signage and processes.
We can only become a zero waste goal if students like you take the time to learn which bin different types of waste go!