Sustainability:

Efforts in Recycling
Alessandra Mine
Andre Smith
Shasta McMillen
 Terms
Sustainability: conserving an ecological balance by avoiding depletion of
natural resources

Reduce: make smaller or less in amount, degree, or size; the best way to
manage waste is not to produce it

Reuse: use again for same purpose or in different ways

Recycle: takes used product/material, processes and remanufactures as new

product

Also: rot (compost) and rebuy (buy recycled!)

 Terms

Zero waste:
Philosophy that encourages the redesign of resource life cycles so that all
products are reused. No trash is sent to landfills or incinerators. The process
recommended is one similar to the way that resources are reused in nature.
 UC Sustainability Policy
University of California Policy Sustainable Practices 9 of 28 -- Effective Date: 9/6/2016

F. Recycling and Waste Management

1. The University prioritizes waste reduction in the following order: reduce, reuse, and then
recycle.

2. The Universitys goal for diverting municipal solid waste from landfills is as follows:

50% as of June 30, 2008

75% as of June 30, 2012

Ultimate goal of zero waste by 2020

 UC Campus Sustainability Progress
Davis - committed to zero waste by 2020; Aggie Stadium, Human Resources Building, and others already have this
designation. Departments are encouraged to make purchases of recycled products when option is available. UC Davis
Move-In drive recycles or donates packing materials, which often accumulate during move-in and move-out times in
dorms.

LA - committed to zero waste by 2020; each dining unit separates trash into compost, recycling, and landfill waste;
catering separates all glass, plastic bottles, and aluminum cans from landfill trash; recycle all clean plastics #1--7

Santa Barbara- committed to zero waste by 2020; diverts 75% of trash to recycling and composting; recycling bins in
over 100 locations on campus; practicing recycling and composting programs for over 20 years

Irvine - committed to zero waste by 2020; the UCI website has an educational page that educates users on proper
recycling for a variety of materials including styrofoam, aluminum, and compost.
UC Davis Current Strategies of Food Service
Recycling
Recycling
-in partnership with UC Davis Waste Reduction and Recycling Program, UC Davis Dining Services recycles:
cardboard, paper, aluminum, tin, plastics #1-6, cooking oil, E-waste and corks; Recycling bins at the DC, Silo, MU, Coho

Reusable to go Containers
-for Meals To Go; use 1 swipe for purchase of container

Aggie Ware
-reusable tableware program

Try-a-Taste
-uses reusable 4 oz china ramekins or 2 oz ceramic soup spoons as sample vessels

Recycling Cooking Oil

-cooking oil used in dining facilities is collected, retrieved and recycled to be converted to biodiesel fuel
Other UCs Current Strategies of Food
Service Recycling
UC Berkeley UCLA
-Chews to Reuse -recycles can, bottles, styrofoam, aluminum foil,
-Green Business certified buildings cardboard, clean plastics #1-7
-Recyclemania title holder
UC Irvine
UC Santa Cruz -recycles aluminum, glass, styrofoam, cardboard,
-Green Business certified plastic bags

UC Santa Barbara UC Merced

-75% of waste directed to recycling and composting -recycles paper, cardboard, metal, glass, plastic,
-Dining Commons Waste Management Program and styrofoam
-refill mugs at dining facilities
UC Riverside -OZZI containers
-Recycling Competition
-recycles bottles, glass, paper, cardboard and plastic; UC San Diego
recycled 500,000 pounds of food waste in 2015 and 100% -Single-bin recycling program
of cooking oil
 Other Local Food Service Recycling
Strategies
DavisRISE (Recycling Is Simply Elementary)
Recycling education; Four containers at each
school site, color coded
School-based recycling activities for student
volunteers
Davis Waste Removal Commercial Services
City of Davis Business Recycling Guide
Mc Donalds
How2Recycle Label Program
Starbucks
Food Packaging Institutes Paper Recovery
Alliance and Plastics Recovery
Reusable cups
UCDMC Food and Nutrition Service
Recycling cardboard, plastic bottle and
aluminum can; now uses China Dishware
Red Lobster, Olive Garden and Longhorn
Steakhouse
Company wide cooking oil recycling program
Mt. Pleasant Nursing Home
Recycling cardboards, plastics and aluminum
Embassy Suites by Hilton
Recycling cardboard and kitchen oil and
others
Success Stories and Challenges
Successes:
UC Davis Dining Commons now recycles plastics #1-6, vs. 1 and 2 from
previous years
All University Catering and Resident Dining uses recyclable and
compostable utensils and dishware
Recycling bins are located throughout the Memorial Union
CoHo partnership with Terracycle: ability to recycle Kettle Chip bags and
Odwalla Wrappers
Success Stories and Challenges
Challenges:
In 2013, 73.5% of trash put in the landfill receptacle could have been
diverted to a recycling or compost receptacle
Perhaps not enough recycling and compost receptacles are located
throughout campus
More recycling and composting can lead to increased labor costs to
separate materials
Recyclable items placed in landfill receptacles are moved by workers to their proper
receptacles
Items within recycling and compost receptacles cannot always be recycled and
composted
Ideas for the Future
The UC System plans to achieve its goal of having zero waste by 2020.

More education about recycling is a promising tactic that the UC System can
use to reduce waste

In Spring quarter 2014, ASUCD volunteers guided students on placing their

trash in appropriate receptacles for the first two weeks of the quarter with
plenty of positive feedback.

Recycling education in conjunction with more accessibility to recycling

receptacles can help drive the UC System to become a carbon-neutral
institution.
 Discussion Activity
Turn to a neighbor:

Discuss two strengths in recycling practices

1. Your personal habit

2. Something you personally think UC Davis food service does great for
recycling

Discuss two areas of improvement or suggestions

1. For yourself
2. For UC Davis food service
References

https://dnr.mo.gov/env/swmp/pubs-reports/threers.htm
http://sustainability.ucdavis.edu/action/zero_waste/recycle.html
http://sustainability.ucdavis.edu/progress/waste_reduction/index.html
http://ucop.edu/sustainability/_files/foodservice/ucd_foodservice_report_13-14.pdf
http://www.davisfarmtoschool.org/3079-2/
http://dining.ucdavis.edu/sus-recycling.html
http://cityofdavis.org/city-hall/public-works/solid-waste-and-recycling/recycling
http://www.dwrco.com/html/about_us.htm
http://sustainability.ucdavis.edu/progress/commitment/index.html
http://ucop.edu/sustainability/_files/foodservice/ucd_medctr_food_2010.pdf