Composting

Composting is a simple process that turns biodegradable waste into nutrient rich soil that can be used in gardening, landscaping, and agriculture.
Here are two major ways that composting is being used at Ohio University. For more info, visit our compost page.

In-Vessel Composting System

Ohio University was one of six state awardees that received a $250,000 grant through Ohio Division of Natural Resources' (ODNR) Division of Recycling & Litter Prevention program. The funding was used to purchase and install an in-vessel composting system for the Athens campus. It is be the first full-scale composting project at an Ohio college or university.

Ohio University chose to purchase the system from Wright Environmental Management, Inc. The system is located on the Ridges just off of Dairy Lane. It will handles up to two tons of compostables per day, including food waste, biodegradable service ware, landscaping waste and other organic materials. This waste is processed into a nutrient-rich soil within 14 days.

ODNR also awarded Ohio University an additional $50,000 toward the in-vessel composting initiative. The additional funds went toward the purchase of a 6.15-kilowatt solar photovoltaic array expected to generate 35 percent of the electricity needed for the composting site. Using a solar array to power the composting system offsets 9,000 pounds of carbon emissions each year, resulting in roughly 270,000 pounds of carbon avoided over an operational period of 30 years, Marcus said. The installation of a solar energy source for the system also frees up additional resources for the Department of Facilities Management in a time of rising energy costs.

Additional funds from this grant were directed toward site preparation, including water and drainage lines, and Ohio University's first compost toilet.

In a letter included in the grant application, Ohio U. President Roderick McDavis noted that this initiative provides both a fiscally progressive and environmentally sound method to dispose of the university's biodegradable waste and helps position the state of Ohio as a national leader in new energy solutions.

Ohio U. was recently awarded $1,088,571 through the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act to expand its compost project! The upcoming expansion will include the addition of: a 4-ton expandable in-vessel system, enabling the university to compost 100% of its pre- and post-consumer dining waste; a 31.1 killowatt solar array to completely power the current site and expansion; a 1.4 gallon solar thermal water heating system to improve the ability of workers to clean the collection bins with harvested rainwater; an industrial shredder, through which to process the biodegradable service ware, aiding in its breakdown; and a waste-oil burner to heat the pole barn which houses the composter for the comfort of workers during the winter. The expansion project is expected to be completed in 2011.

Biodegradable Service Ware

Ohio University's new Baker University Center, which opened on January 2nd, 2006, features biodegradable service ware. Corn and sugar cane plates, cups, forks, spoons and take-out containers are all compostable. Ohio University's Child Development Center composts the food waste from their classrooms and uses biodegradable plates when their normal reusable plates are not appropriate.

Recycling

With over 16,000 recycling bins spread across Ohio University, Campus Recycling works towards their goal of recycling 80% of the waste generated at the university. Campus Recycling is responsible for maintaining, monitoring, and upgrading the recycling and solid waste management at campus buildings and on the grounds.

Watch Ed Newman lead Campus recycling student workers through the Cardboard Shuffle at Ohio University during move-in weekend.

Adopt-A-Game

One of Ohio University's past recycling programs, called "Adopt-A-Game," took place at home basketball games. Student groups signed up to collect trash and recyclables in different sections of the Convocation Center throughout home basketball games. Massive amounts of recyclables have been diverted from the waste stream with the help of Adopt-A-Game participants.

Construction and Demolition

In addition to the traditional recycling of cans and bottles, the recycling department works with contractors and project managers when construction projects occur on campus, to ensure that as many materials are reused or recycled as possible. Some materials such as doors and lumber are salvaged and sent to ReUse Industries, while scrap metal in many forms is recycled. In the future, the Ohio University Campus Recycling Department hopes to further expand its ability to recycle specific materials such as concrete and ceiling tiles.

Greeks for the Globe

Campus Recycling worked with the Greek House, Delta Gamma, to reduce their waste and the cost of waste management in half by switching their trash pick-up from Rumpke to City of Athens Ohio Garbage Pickup and adding recycling. Fiji house, Pi Beta Phi, Chi Omega, and Sigma Phi Epsilon followed suit. Delta Zeta and Beta Theta Pi are in discussion with Refuse and Recycling Manager Ed Newman about beginning recycling at their houses. In addition to working with fraternities and sororities, Campus Recycling is working with Student Senate to expand recycling to other multi-unit off-campus housing groups.

Homecoming Floats

Campus Recycling also requires that all Ohio University Homecoming floats made for the big parade are recycled. All the floats go to a parking lot at the end of the parade where they can be dismantled. Almost all of the floats are recoverable because they are made out of products like chicken wire, wood, metal, cardboard, paper, plastic or aluminum.

RecycleMania

Ohio University and Miami University co-founded the now famous RecycleMania competition in 2001. RecycleMania is a 10-week competition between university and college recycling programs across the United States. The friendly competition allows campuses to compete in different contests. Awards go to each university or college who has the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, and the highest recycling rate. The competition has grown every year, with over 400 participating schools in 2008. And it all began at Ohio University!

Universal Waste

Ohio University continues to revise and expand its recycling of universal waste—waste that contains hazardous components such as mercury, lead, cadmium and other substances. Sources of universal waste include fluorescent lights, batteries, computer monitors and even cell phones. Many universal waste items cannot be dumped in landfills. These items require special recycling practices when they are no longer functional. Ohio U. currently has special recycling practices for computer monitors and fluorescent lights, and is developing strategies for the recycling of other universal waste items.

Reuse

The reuse of items and materials reduces the need to produce new materials.

Move Out

Every June, when students move out of the dorms for the summer, they leave behind clothes, school supplies, furniture, food and more. OHIO Campus Recycling sets up sites at every dorm where students can donate unwanted goods. Volunteer community groups like the New Marshfield Golden Gaits 4H Club go around to the sites daily and collect the donations. The Athens County Agricultural Society, the Junior Fair Board and the Athens County Fair Board then distribute these items to people who need them.

In May/June 2011, this move-out collection was expanded greatly to involve off-campus neighborhoods for students, landlords, and Athens residents. Many volunteers and local organizations worked together to make the collection the most successful so far.

Surplus Materials

Ohio University tries to prolong the life of surplus materials, whether its office equipment, excess building materials, or non-perishable food items. Used equipment from the university is picked up and organized by the Moving and Surplus Department. These items are offered for sale at a reduced cost to other Ohio University departments, as well as at monthly auctions that are open to the public.

Materials that do not sell through the Surplus department are sent to ReUse Industries, a non-profit organization that is dedicated to waste reduction. ReUse keeps a truck stationed at Campus Recycling that can be loaded with these materials and then taken to the main ReUse Industries facility in Albany. These building materials, office equipment and odds-and-ends are then offered for sale to the public at affordable costs.

In the summer of 2006, Ohio U. put their items of refuse to good work. They sent a semi-truck load of beds and mattresses to Honduras. They were able to do this through the Institution of Recycling Network. The cost to send the materials to Honduras was comparable to sending the used goods to the landfill. In addition to sending mattresses to Honduras, Ohio U. also sent 500 chairs to the Materials Assistance Providers (MAP) in Columbus. MAP is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization that works to serve the community by providing a free furniture bank for families and individuals in need. In 2007, OU sent a very timely load of over 700 mattresses and office supplies to the Caribbean in the aftermath of Hurricane Dean. The project was a cooperation of Ohio University, The Institutional Recycling Network and Food For The Poor.

Additionally, there are a lot of small efforts to reuse at Ohio University that don't get a lot of publicity, but can make a huge difference in waste reduction. Pallets and bread and soda crates are items that would generate a large amount of waste if they were not reused on a daily basis on campus.

Trash

Trash is picked up from Ohio University and taken to Athens-Hocking Reclamation Center in Nelsonville. Pick-up rates vary. For example residence hall trash is picked up approximately three times a week, but Baker University Center trash is picked up twice a day. Ohio University produces approximately 5,000 tons of trash per year.

Source Reduction

OHIO Campus Recycling supplies waste materials to the ceramics department, saving them from buying materials to fire up the kilns. They also work with the Theatre department in all set breakdowns in order to recover recyclables. Prior to a major overhaul of the pre-printing process, Printing and Graphics Services used one-time-use, non-recyclable plastic films covered in silver to make the metal plates which print the paper. Printing and Graphic Services made the decision to modify old methods and switch to pre-printing using only a computer and a metal plate, thereby eliminating altogether the silver covered plastic films. Individual efforts can play a large role in source reduction on campus. Actions like carrying a re-useable coffee mug will not only save on the amount of waste you generate daily, but will often get you a discount at one of the coffee houses in town. In Winter 2008, the Green Network developed a pledge for students and staff to sign. The pledge committed signers to stop purchasing bottled water on campus. Instead they committed to carrying a reusable container for water and other beverages.

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Featured Story

RECYCLEMANIA 2012 – FINAL SCORES

OHIO BESTS LAST YEAR’S PERFORMANCE

BEST IN MAC

Ohio improved on its overall recycling performance this year over last year enabling it to dominate the MAC in 5 of 6 competitions that was participated in.

Strong contributions from Alden Library, OIT, and stepped up performances from many departments and student in the residence halls boosted Ohio’s recycling rate 4% this year over last. The numbers are tallied below and are also viewable at: www.recyclemania.com and soon will also be on www.ohio.edu/recycle

Some of Ohio’s regional campuses also turned in impressive recycling performances this year. OU Southern’s Adam Riehl and student assistant, Joe O’Leary stated at the onset of RecycleMania that they were going to emphasize waste minimization this year that is, compete hard in reducing overall consumption. They did this with gusto and actually ranked 8^th in the country in this effort.

OU Lancaster also excelled in ranked 9^th in the nation in per capita recycling and ranked 13^th, 11^th and 2^nd three of the targeted per capita competitions as well. These are impressive achievements by two or our regional campuses to note. Todd McCullough, a graduate student at OUL noted that he’s worked with the custodial staff and has gone through a lot of what was coming off of the campus to beef up what was going in recycling instead of trash disposal.

OU Zanesville had the highest recycling amount at 14,262 lbs. of all the regionals from Ohio University, KSU or BGSU competing. Eastern also posted very competitive per capita scores for Paper at 2.09 lbs. per person and for Beverage Containers at 4.35 lbs. for paper.

Around Ohio there were 28 colleges and universities competing.

Stark State Community College had the highest rate of recycling at 68.04%.
Denison had the highest per capita recycling rate at 34.72% but also had the second highest or worst waste minimization rate at 90.22 lbs. per person. OSU edged out Ohio by 12,000 lbs. for recycling the most in 8 weeks at 549,244 lbs.

Ohio did well this year improving in both recycling and in waste minimization. Stay tuned for Game Day Challenge next fall when Ohio competes for the greatest recycling, waste minimization and composting at a football game. This last fall we recycled 82% at the Ohio vs. Temple game.

http://www.facilities.ohiou.edu/recycle/USEPAGameDayChallengeData.htm

Lastly, there was a new pilot recycling competition introduced this year for recycling of e-waste. Each of the 67 schools that participated was to pick a month’s worth of e-waste recovered and report the weights.

Ohio came in second behind Purdue of West Lafayette, Indiana with 58,508. See:

http://recyclemaniacs.org/electronics-results

For complete results in the MAC, CLICK HERE

Campus Recycling