Sustainable Waste Management at the

University of RochesterPresented at AWMA/NYWEA Annual Seminar

Rochester, NYFeb 13, 2019

Amy Kadrie University Sustainability CoordinatorBrad Miller University Environmental Compliance Manager

Schools and CollegesArts, Sciences & EngineeringSchool of Arts & SciencesHajim School of Engineering & Applied SciencesEastman School of MusicSchool of Medicine and DentistrySchool of NursingEastman Institute for Oral HealthSimon Business SchoolWarner Graduate School of Education

Patient Care, Technology, and Culture

University of Rochester Medical CenterLaboratory for Laser EnergeticsC. E. K. Mees ObservatoryMemorial Art GalleryEastman TheatreUniversity of Rochester PressOpen LetterSusan B. Anthony Center

Total faculty and staff:

(University of Rochester and health entities) 28,093 (FTE as of December 31, 2018)

Tuition and FeesTuition:$52,974 (2018–19, Arts, Sciences, and Engineering undergraduate)

Room & Board: $15,862(2018–19, undergraduate)

Total charges: $68,836(undergraduate tuition plus room and board) (2018–19, Arts, Sciences, and Engineering)

Finances

Total University budget: $4 billion (fiscal year 2018)Long Term Investment Pool (primarily endowment funds): $2.3 billion(as of June 30, 2017)

Strong Memorial Hospital

• 849 beds• Approximately 39,000 admissions

annually• Most patients come from Monroe

County but over 35 percent come from surrounding counties in the Upstate New York and Finger Lakes area.

• Regionally Ranked Hospital (2018-2019 US News and World Report Best Hospitals)– #4 in New York– #1 in Rochester metro area

Historical Commitment to Sustainability• Batteries and Lamps in the 1990s • Electronics (computer, CRTs) late

1990s early 2000 (80-100 tons mid 2000s)

• Mercury Reduction at Strong Hospital in 1999 (EPA Region 2 Environmental Quality Award winner)

• Distilled solvents (xylene, acetone, ethanol)

• 2007 – UR Sustainability Task Force

2008- U of R hires first Recycling

Coordinator –later

becomes Sustainability Coordinator

University Facilities and Services:Sustainability Coordinator Position

Manage, plan, direct, and promote University Facilities and Services’ sustainability programs• Program Management• Education and Communication• Student and Staff Engagement• Data Collection, Reporting, Performance

Measurement

10

12.9% 12.7%18.3% 21.9%

28.6% 32.3%38.1%

30.6%38.3% 35.6%

54.5%44.1%

36.9% 36.9%

87.1% 87.3%81.7% 78.1%

71.4% 67.7%61.9%

69.4%61.7% 64.4%

45.5%55.9%

63.1% 63.1%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

University Proportional Change in Total Solid Waste Output

Recycled Materials Solid Waste

Waste Diversion Rate

11

% Recycled/Reused by Campus

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

River Campus 43.7% 58.0% 38.6% 46.3% 49.0% 75.5% 66.6% 58.0% 56.0%

Medical Center 28.8% 26.5% 26.4% 23.6% 28.7% 29.8% 21.8% 18.3% 17.6%

Off-site 38.8% 36.8% 35.3% 35.8% 33.5% 35.1% 36.8% 37.5% 36.8%

Memorial Art Gallery 21.2% 23.3% 23.7% 24.2% 23.7% 21.1% 19.5% 20.4% 16.8%

Eastman School of Music 12.7% 12.6% 13.6% 14.6% 14.8% 16.5% 16.9% 14.6% 13.4%

University Total Diversion

Rate32.3% 38.2% 30.6% 38.3% 35.6% 54.5% 44.1% 36.9% 36.9%

12

12.9% 12.7%18.3% 21.9% 25.8% 26.3% 26.5% 27.1% 26.7% 27.3% 27.3% 26.2% 26.6% 29.3%

87.1% 87.3%81.7% 78.1% 74.2% 73.7% 73.5% 72.9% 73.3% 72.7% 72.7% 73.8% 73.4% 70.7%

0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

2005 2006 2007 2008 2009 2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018

Proportional Change in Total Solid Waste Output (Without Construction)

Recycled Materials Solid Waste

13

Construction Projects33%

Paper/Cardboard16%

Metal5%Plastic/Metal/Glass

6%

Confidential Documents

13%

Cooking Grease<1%

Organics4%

Furniture1%

Branches and Wood2%

Electronics3%

Sharps Shelters2%

Single Stream3%

Pallets1%

Miscellaneous1%

Hazardous Waste10%

Miscellaneous TonsInk Cartridges 12.7

Clothing 10.0Medical 

Supplies/Equipment 9.7Tires 6.5

Deposit Bottles 3.5Food 2.6

Cooling Packs 0.6Sneakers 0.4X‐Ray Film 0.3

Hazardous Waste TonsAssorted Haz Waste 536.1

Batteries 8.3Used Lamps 6.6Used Oil 6.5Lead 1.0

Oil Filters 0.2

14

Food6%

Clothing22%

Ink Jets27%

X-ray Film1%

Medical Supplies

21%

Deposit Bottle

7%

Sneakers1%

Cooling Packs

1% Tires14%

Miscellaneous

Used Oil1%

Used Lamps1%

Batteries2%

Lead<1%

Assorted HW96%

Oil Filters<1%

Hazardous Waste

15

0

500

1000

1500

2000

2500

UNIVERSITY MATERIALS (TONS)2017 VS. 2018

2017 2018

16

0100200300400500600700800900

1000

UNIVERSITY MATERIALS (TONNAGES WITHOUT CONSTRUCTION)

2017 VS. 20182017 2018

17

0

2

4

6

8

10

12

14

16

MISC. AND HAZARDOUS WASTE (TONS)2017 VS. 2018

2017 2018

18

Construction Projects52%

Paper/Cardboard9%

Metal2%

Plastic/Metal/Glass9%

Confidential Documents

11%

Cooking Grease<1%

Organics6%

Furniture1%

Branches and Wood2%

Electronics1%

Single Stream4%

Pallets2%

Miscellaneous1%

Food11%

Clothing44%Ink Jets

15%

Sneakers2%

Tires28%

Miscellaneous

19

050

100150200250300350400450

RIVER CAMPUS MATERIALS (TONS WITHOUT CONSTRUCTION)

2017 VS. 20182017 2018

Medical Center Materials 2018

20

Paper/Cardboard34%

Metal15%

Plastic/Metal/Glass

1%

Confidential Documents

27%

Cooking Grease1%

Furniture2%

Used Electronics

7%

Sharps Shelters10%

Single Stream1%

Miscellaneous2%

Ink Jets40%

X-ray Film1%

Medical Supplies/

Instruments41%

Deposit Bottle15%

Cooling Packs

3%

Miscellaneous

21

050

100150200250300350400450500

MEDICAL CENTER MATERIALS (TONS)2017 VS. 2018

2017 2018

Recycling Outside of the Box:Electronics Recycling

Students (personal)

• Label “Recycle” and bring to Sage loading dock

• Removal of personal information first is HIGHLY recommended

Departmental (and personal)

Other Recycling ProgramsRechargeable Battery RecyclingNOTE: Alkaline batteries are not recyclable.

Drop off locations:• Rush Rhees Library- IT

Center• Wilson Commons-

Common Connections.

Other Recycling Programs

Composting/ Organics Collection

• All UR dining locations collect pre-consumer organic

• Danforth and Douglass also collects post-consumer waste

• Behind the scenes we collected over 207 tons last year!

Waste Source Reduction

Why recycle?– Saves Natural Resources– Saves Energy– Saves Money

But…• Reduce FIRST: It’s better not to use anything• Reuse SECOND: Make the materials last longer• Recycle LAST: A close step to a landfill

Reduction and Reuseon Campus

• Plastic Bag Reduction Project• Water bottle refill stations throughout campus• Reusable Mug program and Eco-Clamshell program• Package Reuse Station• Move-out Cleanout and Dump & Run

URMC Material Repurposing• Medical supplies and instruments • InterVol

• Cooling Packs• Stryker• Medline

Recyclable Sharps Shelters - 133 Tons recycled in 2018

- prevented 97434 lbs of carbon dioxide from being released to the atmosphere*

- 267,922 lbs of plastic diverted from landfill

*using Stericycle Business Carbon Footprint estimator

Contract with Stericycle

Events

• Game Day Recycling Challenge

• E-Cycle Day• RecycleMania• Earth Day• Shred Fest

Challenges

• Technology – Vendor technology such as Stericycle Sharps Shelter or Waste Management’s Food Composting program

• Single use mentality in medical industry: Many items are wrapped in plastic, designed for single use due to sterility, infection control concerns

• Market demand for recyclable waste streams

Future Initiatives?

• Expand Organics collection to post-consumer or in Med Center• Energy to Lead Competition Winners- solar array on GAC.• Hutch Hall addition being designed with 70% below code

reduction carbon production.