Institutions of higher education bear a responsibility for increasing the awareness and skills that are fundamental to creating an environmentally sustainable future. Students spend four or more years on campuses, and many of the attitudes and expectations gained during their college experience stay with them throughout their lives.  Thus, universities that provide a culture of environmental responsibility help create citizens who expect to make comparable commitments in their communities and families. Further, public institutions have the responsibility to assist in educating the public through outreach and access to recycling opportunities at public events such as sports events, plays, and other hosted activities. Recycling fosters environmental sustainability.  Not only does it save valuable materials and resources and reduce solid waste disposal costs; it is also a tangible action that individuals can take to improve the environment in their communities.  With its population near that of a small-to-medium sized city, the Knoxville campus can play a significant part in fostering stewardship in this community.

The National Wildlife Federation recently published a nationwide survey of institutions of higher education, elaborating on campus environmental activities.  The report, State of the Campus Environment: A National Profile of Environmental Performance on America’s Colleges and Universities (2001), revealed that campus recycling programs are the most common environmental initiatives promulgated across campuses.  Fully 65 percent of the survey respondents indicated ongoing recycling initiatives.

The Knoxville campus has offered some level of recycling since 1992.  Significant progress has been made, but limited funding and limited staffing have prevented the necessary education and promotion to truly integrate the program into campus life.  A waste audit conducted at a residence dorm last year revealed that two-thirds of the materials being disposed as waste could have been recycled if proper collection programs were in place and utilized.  A basic description of the current system can be found in Appendix A.  The Taskforce feels that a new, more substantial, recycling program needs to be put in place to serve as a model both for institutions of higher education and the Knoxville community.

University of Tennessee Requirements

The Taskforce surveyed approximately 30 college and university recycling programs, including several SEC institutions, to ascertain the components of successful recycling programs (a summary of some of these programs can be found in Appendix B).  Several key components were readily apparent.  Of primary importance is the existence of a full-time recycling coordinator to provide impetus for and management of a recycling program.  In addition to a program coordinator, successful programs also included: collection of multiple materials; recycling services for all campus populations (including students, faculty, staff, and the general public); and ongoing education and promotion.

Recommended program needs, detailed below, are arranged according to short-term needs (within 3-6 months), mid-term needs (within one year), and long-term needs (after one year).  Additional detail can be found in the “Recommendations and Budgetary Requirements” section.

I. SHORT TERM
In the short term, two key features are necessary for the upgraded recycling program:  hiring a Recycling Coordinator and purchasing recycling bins.  The Recycling Coordinator Position, under the Facilities Services Department, will provide the support structure for the recycling program including educational programming, contract assessment, management of the day-to-day processes of the program, purchasing equipment for the program, and serving as a general resource for recycling options at The University of Tennessee.  Further, by hiring the Recycling Coordinator immediately, the new coordinator can assist in implementing the other short- and long-term recommendations for the program.

The second short-term requirement of the program is the selection and purchase of recycling bins to be used on campus.  Currently, there are a limited number of 18-gallon, open-top bins for collecting mixed paper, as well as 90-gallon rolling units on the loading docks.  There are also cardboard containers for aluminum cans in some buildings.  However, the University currently does not have bins with a consistent, aesthetically-pleasing appearance that offer one-stop recycling within its buildings.  To implement recycling on the entire campus, the University will need to purchase about 500 multi-material bins for the recycling of cans, bottles, and mixed paper.  The Committee is willing to advise the Administration and Facility Services on the specific bins to purchase.

Successful recycling necessarily involves a learning process.  What works on some campuses, and in some buildings, may not be universal.  It is important, therefore, to begin with an initial pilot phase.  We suggest that bins be placed in a few academic, administrative, and residential buildings to test use and performance of the bins in these differing environments.  Approximately 50 bins placed within six buildings should offer a reasonable test of bin use.  Public/outdoor recycling bins should also be tested on selected parts of the campus.  Placing two or three outdoor units at strategic locations during the pilot phase should provide ample information. 

II.  MID TERM
During the mid-term, the recycling program should be implemented campus-wide at a pace consistent with adequate control and sufficient education.  This means placement of bins in all of the 100+ buildings on campus, and the distribution of public/outdoor bins at logical locations across the campus.  Access and convenience are key requirements for a successful recycling program, and widespread placement of recycling bins across campus serves that purpose.

The development of appropriate education and outreach materials is central to the success of any recycling program, and is particularly important with a transitory population like a university.  Training people to deposit materials in the proper receptacles is critical.  Program information should be developed and included in student orientation packets, dorms, university websites, athletic events, and other outreach opportunities.  The messages and information about the program should be straightforward, consistent, and easy to recognize.

One measure of a recycling program’s success is its inclusiveness.  While the Recycling Coordinator position needs to be located within the Facilities Services Department, the program should reach out and involve the “user community,” to the greatest extent possible.  One means of achieving this objective is to authorize a campus organization to maintain advisory functions with respect to the recycling program.  This organization should have representation from administration, academic, and student constituencies on campus and meet with the Recycling Coordinator on a quarterly basis.  The current Recycling Taskforce could perform this service, or it could fall to the existing, Provost-appointed Committee on the Campus Environment.

Another measure of a recycling program’s success is seen through the amount of material diverted from the waste stream.  The Recycling Coordinator should establish a system of measuring the quantity of each material being captured for recycling.  This system of metrics would provide valuable feedback to the program; such information should be shared with the campus community via internet postings or other means.  The Recycling Coordinator would also need to provide an annual report to the campus on the recycling program, and quantitative assessments should be a vital component of the report.

Finally, UT should begin initial planning for an events recycling program.  Many other universities, such as Penn State and the University of Colorado, offer recycling programs and education geared toward their athletics events and fans. This constitutes a tremendous opportunity to educate the public about recycling and to create additional, positive features associated with UT’s flagship athletics program.  Further, Vol fans could be excellent spokespersons for the recycling opportunities offered in conjunction with UT sporting events, and would carry the message to other schools as they travel to games.

III. LONG TERM
In the long term, the renewed UT recycling program should promote a comprehensive approach to recycling that goes beyond building and outdoor collection efforts.  This would involve at least three separate initiatives: procurement reorientation; food waste collection and composting; other special materials recycling.

There should be increased coordination between the campus recycling program and the procurement of materials for use on campus.  In this way, more attention can be focused on purchasing products containing recycled content, as well as products that are recyclable. This effort will provide awareness of how UT is “closing the loop” and further educate the campus community on the environmental impacts of our purchasing behavior.  Serious attention should also be given to strategies for reducing the quantity of materials procured without diminishing the services being provided.

Food recycling and composting is a logical next step for a campus the size of The University of Tennessee with its substantial agricultural component.  Composting expertise on the west campus (Agriculture campus) is extensive, and can be utilized in evaluating appropriate technologies and resource use.  Collection strategies can be evaluated during the mid-term phase, and programmatic efforts should begin shortly after the conclusion of these studies.

Finally, there should be an assessment and plan for implementing special materials recycling. This category would include options such as electronics recycling, boxes from move-in days, and collection drives for clothes and furniture at the end of semesters.

It is important that the Recycling Coordinator build strong relationships with city and county waste officials.  These officials can be strong allies in ensuring that the campus recycling program succeeds.

 

Proposed Recommendations with Budgetary Requirements

Recycling Coordinator Position

• Salary, benefits, and operating expenses of approximately $50,000 per year; (the position with the Facilities Services Department should commence on or around May 1, 2003).

Equipment Needs for Buildings and Public/Outdoor Recycling

• Purchase/Construction of bins for academic, residential, and administrative buildings of approximately $200,000 (500 bins at $400 per bin).

• Purchase of Public/Outdoor area bins of approximately $15,000 (10 bin assemblies at $1,500 each).

• Desk-side bins for dorms, academic rooms and administrative buildings of approximately $4,500 (1,500 bins at $3 each).

• Standardized labeling for all bins and recycling areas of approximately $3,000.

Educational Program

• Development of a campus environmental awareness campaign that includes publicity and campus mailings of approximately $10,000 per year.

As seen above, the operating budget for the UTK recycling program will total approximately $60,000.  Factoring in a yearly budget for annual, routine equipment purchases and/or maintenance would raise annual costs.  On the other hand, the Recycling Coordinator can be performing some waste management functions within the Facilities Services Department that go beyond just recycling (e.g. working with waste collection contractors), and, therefore, need to be charged against the larger Facility Services Department budget.  It is also important to recognize that there are avoided costs (savings) from materials no longer destined for disposal.

Bulk purchases of recycling equipment are a one-time expense that could be spread across fiscal years.  The equipment charges noted above cover only the mid-term recycling plans.  Longer-term recycling equipment needs will have to be evaluated on a year-by-year basis.  The University should seek to find outside sponsors for at least some of these purchases.  Commercial entities may have an interest, for example, in having their logos affixed to desk-side bins.  If so, they may be convinced to purchase the bins for widespread campus distribution.

Looking at the costs spread across fiscal years we estimate that approximately $32,000 will be required in this fiscal year (03) if the Administration moves expeditiously, as the Committee strongly recommends.  This includes $23,000 for bins associated with the pilot phase, $8,000 for two months of the Recycling Coordinator’s salary and benefits, and $1,000 for the development and printing of educational materials.  Recurring operating costs of $60,000 can be expected in subsequent years with the bulk of one-time equipment purchases taking place in FY 2004.

Both federal and state governments are actively advocating higher recycling rates.  The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has established a recycling goal of 35 percent.  The State of Tennessee’s recycling goal is a more modest, but still ambitious, goal of 25 percent.  Grants are being made to local entities on a competitive basis to cover some of the infrastructure costs associated with new recycling activities.  The UT Recycling Coordinator should actively seek to obtain grant funding working through city/county auspices, or through independent solicitations.

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APPENDIX A

Currently the university offers wide collection of mixed paper, newsprint, and corrugated cardboard recycling. Mixed paper and newsprint are collected by the custodial services contractor as part of its contract; the Facilities Services Department collects cardboard and has a contract with a local paper processing company to recycle it.  Over the years, aluminum cans have been collected and recycled by non-profit organizations such as the Ronald McDonald House Foundation and others; currently, the custodial services contractor collects these as well.  Plastic beverage containers are gaining an increasing presence on campus, but no plastic bottle recycling opportunities have traditionally been offered in campus buildings.   Both aluminum and plastic are collected at three (outdoor) drop-off bins.

Currently, the University offers a stadium cup recycling program, in partnership with Eastman, at UT football games.  In Fall 2000, Students Promoting Environmental Action in Knoxville (S.P.E.A.K.), the Energy, Environment and Resources Center and the City of Knoxville partnered to offer increased recycling opportunities to tailgaters at the UT-Arkansas home game, and to ask them about their willingness to recycle more of the waste that they generate while tailgating. This voluntary effort included collection of glass, plastic, and aluminum before the game began; no recycling was offered after the game. There was a great deal of enthusiasm on the part of tailgaters, who went out of their way to put their beverage containers in the recycling bins.  Many tailgaters said they would appreciate the ability to recycle their beverage containers on campus rather than throwing them in the trash; a few commented that they occasionally carried their materials home because there was no place to recycle them on campus.  Volunteers collected more than 100 pounds of beverage containers prior to the game.

Some improvements to the campus recycling program have been made over the last two years with the cooperation of S.P.E.A.K. and the Facilities Services Department.  In Fall, 2001, S.P.E.A.K. assumed responsibility for the outdoor Student Government Association recycling sites to provide students living in residence halls with a recycling option; these recycling bins had historically suffered from a lack of promotion and immense levels of contamination from individuals using the bins for free, household garbage disposal.  Locks were placed on the outdoor bins to prevent contamination (the major problem in the past), and S.P.E.A.K. coordinated volunteers to staff the bins during the hours of operation.  S.P.E.A.K. and Facilities Services have a close working relationship and have successfully recycled all materials placed in the outdoor bins.  In February 2002, S.P.E.A.K. worked with the Facilities Services and University Housing to lay the groundwork for an in-dorm recycling program.  Mixed paper and plastic/aluminum bins were placed on each floor in Massey and North Carrick Halls.  Once a week these bins are moved to the loading dock of the dorms by the Housekeeping staff.  The bins are then transferred to the closest outdoor recycling site and volunteers coordinated by S.P.E.A.K sort their content.