Improvements Upon The Ohio State University’s Waste Management and Sustainability Program

by

Gabby Butz, Brigid Lawler, and Andrew Haberlandt

Team 4
Engineering 2367.01H / Section 9527
The Ohio State University

Prepared for
Facilities Operations and Development
150C Central Service Building, 2003 Millikin Road
Columbus, Ohio 43210

Abstract:
The overproduction of waste is filling our landfills and causing disastrous
environmental damage. The sustainable management of waste on college
campuses, specifically at The Ohio State University, is critical to reduce the
university’s impact on the environment and educate students about sustainability.
We propose significant improvements to The Ohio State University’s existing
waste management program, including enhanced educational initiatives,
increased availability of recycling and composting equipment, and the adoption
of reusable alternatives to single-use items. By increasing awareness of recycling
rules, environmental impacts, and reusable alternatives, students can make
sustainable decisions on their own which directly reduce the amount of their
waste which ends up in landfills. Adding additional recycling bins around
campus with improved labeling will increase the quantity of properly recycled
material. Introducing composting to our high-volume dining locations will divert
food and paper waste in a sustainable manner. Lastly, introducing reusable to-go
containers at all traditions locations will eliminate the waste caused by the
existing single-use containers. The adoption of this proposal is critical to reduce
the university’s waste impact and empower students to make sustainable
decisions.

October 22, 2019

 Introduction

Statement of Problem
As humans, we are simultaneously producers and consumers. However, in our world today, we are
producing a surplus of waste. This overproduction of waste is resulting in overflowing landfills, air and
water pollution, and accelerating the effects of climate change. At The Ohio State University, waste
management is a major concern due to the large student body and number of university facilities spread
around campus. Although there is a waste management program already in place, there is a lack of
knowledge about sustainability. Students are unaware of what material can be recycled and there is a lack
of access to waste management resources. In order to raise awareness, concern, and action about this
issue, we are proposing a program in which there would be effective improvements to Ohio State’s
current waste management program.

Objective
The improvements upon the current Ohio State waste management program have the following
objectives:
● Increase awareness about the environmental and sustainability practices
● Expand the accessibility of recycling and composting resources on campus
● Implement reusable alternatives on campus

Significance
Through the implementation of this improved waste management program, The Ohio State University
will produce less waste, and much of the remaining waste will be diverted away from landfills. Student
awareness of sustainability efforts will increase, giving students the power to make substantial individual
change in their wasteful habits. The combined university and individual efforts will have a significant
positive impact on the campus environment and the planet.

Current Situation

Costs Associated With Excessive Waste

There are numerous proven negative environmental effects of waste and landfills. The overproduction of
waste leads to overflowing landfills. The United States generates roughly 230 million tons of trash per
year. Around 70% of this trash, which ends up in landfills, could be recycled or composted (Annenberg
Foundation, 2016). These landfills become saturated with toxins from piles of decomposing trash. As a
result of this decomposition, methane gas is produced, contributing to greenhouse gases and climate
change. However, it is not only the decomposition of landfill waste that contributes to the production of
greenhouse gases (Wastes, 2018). The transportation of waste to and from landfills, and even recycling
plants, results in the emission of greenhouse gases as well. The emission of these gases worsens the air
quality creating potentially dangerous living conditions for those with asthma or other breathing
conditions. In addition to methane gas, landfills create leachate. Leachate is a liquid that passes through
the layers of a landfill and contains solid and dissolved hazardous materials (Wastes, 2018).
Unfortunately, this liquid contaminates our groundwater and surface water. Cleaning the affected water is
expensive, time-consuming, and at times impossible (Annenberg Foundation, 2016). This not only affects
the students at Ohio State, but also the habitants of surrounding ecosystems which are being destroyed by
leachate or other pollutants (Wastes, 2018). As a result, improper waste management threatens human
health while negatively impacting the environment.

In their study analyzing the costs of food waste in South Africa, Lange and Nahman found that developed
countries, like South Africa or the United States, suffer significant financial losses as a by-product of food
waste. With Ohio State being such a large institution, the environmental and financial costs of excessive
waste cannot be ignored. Some waste is unavoidable and only a portion of food waste can be converted
into effective composting material (Lange & Nahman, 2015). However, the Facilities, Operations, and
Development department can be doing more to divert larger amounts of waste away from landfills. It has
been shown that meat and dairy are the leading cause of greenhouse gas emissions and environmental cost
and fruits and vegetables are the leading cause of financial cost associated with excessive food waste.
However, most of these food groups are compostable, which is a great option to reduce said costs (Venkat
2011). Venkat, Lange, and Nehman all agree the environmental benefits and financial savings associated
with reducing waste make sustainability the clear choice in terms of waste management.

Another great option to reduce excessive waste, especially the waste of plastic or other single-use
containers that are so popular in OSU dining halls, are reusable containers and goods. The Natural
Resources Defence Council strongly recommends the use of reusable goods over one-time-use containers
or goods. While using recyclable or compostable goods has clear environmental benefits to those that
would end up rotting in a landfill, they still result in the emissions of greenhouse gases as well as the
inevitable waste produced in such processes. Replacing single-use goods with more longterm reusable
solutions reduces greenhouse gas emissions as well as the production of leachate (Denchak, 2019).
Excessive waste is a problem at OSU resulting in both environmental and financial costs that could be
avoided by improving the sustainability practices of waste management services.

The Current OSU Program

The Ohio State University has a student population of 61,170 and a faculty population of 47,686. Thus, a
large university demands a complex program for waste management. The current program here at Ohio
State involves various different areas. The Facilities Operation Development, FOD, is the organization
that leads all efforts. Their focus is directed toward energy conservation, sustainable materials
management, and sustainable education ("About Us").

As for sustainability practices, waste and recycling containers are dispersed throughout the campus.
Recycling at Ohio State is single streamed, which means all recyclables co mingle in the same bin. Ink
cartridges, batteries and other special items can be recycled at various locations around campus. However,
there is a major issue when it comes to our recycling habits at Ohio State. First, many dining locations do
not have accessible recycling bins or clearly labeled bins. In addition, compost bins are rarely found
around campus. Next, students are unaware about what can and cannot be recycled due to lack of
education provided by the FOD. The signs posted on the recycling bins are hard to read, leading to
individuals incorrectly placing items in the bins (Waite, Gusani, Shukla, Chelala, & Gruenbacher, 2016).
Lastly, Ohio State has incorrectly posted symbols on the labels of items that in reality cannot be recycled.
Similar to the need for better recycling and composting bins, our dining halls produce large amounts of
plastic waste. This phenomenon can be attributed to the high popularity of to go containers. When
students purchase food, the meal is sold in a container which can come in a variety of different materials.
Some items come in a plastic container with a plastic lid while others only have a plastic lid and a paper
bottom. The containers are non-reusable which contribute to the overproduction of waste.

Along with the lack of resources, students and faculty are unaware of the practices of proper sustainability
and the importance of these habits. In a study funded by the National Waste and Recycling Association,
results showed that ⅓ of Americans are unaware about what can be recycled. Furthermore, in a survey
conducted by Harris Poll, 20% will recycle an item even if they are unsure if it can be recycled. Another
39% incorrectly believe that plastic bags are recyclable item when in reality, plastic bags can damage
recycling plants (Gerlat 2014). Thus, it is apparent there is a severe lack of knowledge about the topic of
recycling and the detrimental impacts of these actions. Sustainability is not a first priority in the
classrooms. Students lack of the knowledge of what items can be recycled and how to properly clean
these items. As for reusable goods, many students and faculty do not make the switch to reusable water
bottles or other reusable items due to lack of awareness and knowledge. Overall, there is room for
improvement in the many components of the current waste management program at OSU.

Programs at Other Institutions

Many universities used to sell trash to China for about $50 a ton, depending on the type of material. This
revenue was used to offset a portion (if not all) of the cost of trash removal. In 2013 China enacted a
policy banning the importation of what they coined “foreign rubbish”, so universities were forced to
manage these waste streams themselves. Today, universities receive little or no revenue from domestic
recyclers, forcing them to eat the cost of pickup, sorting, and maintenance of equipment (Millard).

Many universities have tried to tackle the problem of waste management in a variety of ways. In 2017, a
study published in the “International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education” surveyed universities
across the county on their waste management and sustainability practices. All of the universities surveyed
claimed to have implemented some kind of educational awareness-raising program. Some universities had
unique ideas for tackling the problem: to reduce costs, Michigan State University acts as their own
services provider, sorting packages for recycling and running their own composting facilities. James
Madison University replaced take-away packaging with a compostable alternative and implemented a
sustainable procurement policy - mandating that sustainable alternatives be considered for all university
purchases.

The same survey also cited the most commonly perceived barriers to sustainable waste management
practices on campuses. The top response was a lack of environmental awareness from all of the
university’s individuals. They also cite lack of involvement of all stakeholders in the initiative. Ensuring
that all university departments, from the people managing the trash collection in buildings to the people
running dining services – everyone needs to be aware and a participant in sustainability efforts (Ebrahimi,
K., & North, L. A., 2017).
 Proposed Program
In order to improve upon the current program at Ohio State, we propose several changes or additions. The
implementation of these improvements will promote sustainability around campus. Each aspect of this
proposed program have different focal points yet the final objective is creating a more sustainable
campus. Our proposed program includes the following:
● Promoting awareness about sustainable practices and environmental impacts through education
● Increasing the number of labeled recycling and composting bins
● Implementing a reusable to-go container system at campus dining halls

Education about Sustainability

Achieving a more sustainable campus is a complex process. However, the first step is education.
Awareness about a topic leads to action. Yet, at Ohio State, the students are uneducated about the
consequences of their actions. In order to increase knowledge and awareness, we propose injecting
sustainability practices and objectives into Ohio State’s curriculum. By incorporating adopting a more
holistic approach, educators can assimilate sustainability to mold beneficial life skills, values, and
knowledge. For example, professors can integrate key environmental issues into core subjects. Small
changes in the focus of a course can have positive effects on the environment. In a marketing class, for
instance, a business professor can discuss the principles of marketing by assigning students with a task to
increase the percentage of correctly recycled waste by creating posters. This approach was exceptionally
successful for the sustainability project led by the World Wide Fund for Nature. The project was named
Education for Sustainable Development and the main objective was to integrate sustainability practices
into educational programs. Many schools responded positively by making drastic changes to benefit the
environment (Nayar 2013).

In addition to the assimilation of environmental issues into academia, Ohio State could introduce a
mandatory First Year Success Series which covers the topic of sustainability on campus. First Year
Success Series are a series of mini lectures that are available to students at Ohio State. Through these
implementation of these First Year Success Series, students will be exposed to the principles of
sustainability through understanding the consequences of their actions on campus. Thus, students would
become more environmentally aware. This desired result was observed at Francis Marion University in
South Carolina. The university created a case study course where students composed an experiment
concerning education and sustainability practices. The students in the course taught another group of
random students about waste management and provided them with recycling bins. Similarly, another
group of random students did not receive any informational sessions about waste management but still
provided recycling bins. The group with education had more kilograms of recyclables at the end of the
experiment then did the group without education (Pike, et al., 2003). This example illustrates how
informational sessions or lectures can lead to action and awareness.

As for Ohio State, it would be mandatory to attend 3 First Year Success Series. Besides the mandatory
Buck-I-CARE about Consent, the other two lectures can be left up to the discretion of the student.
Options range from lectures about fitness to mental health to career exploration. However, there is only
one lecture about the environment and sustainability practices. Thus, we propose the addition of 3 more
First Success Series Lectures and the requirement of making 1 of the 4 possible lectures mandatory. The 3
new lecture series could expand upon creating a more sustainable campus yet each series would be unique
in the topic. The three new First Year Success Series would include the following:
● Reduce, Reuse, ReWHAT?: a session revolved around correct recycling practices in which
students would learn what items can be recycled, what each bin on campus is labeled for, and
how to become a #1 recycler!
● Plastic Straws and our Turtles : a session focused on the environmental impact of human waste on
the earth and wildlife
● Nothing to Lose When You Reuse: a lecture exploring all the reusable options in our world today
and how to implement these items into everyday life.

Although education about sustainability is just a portion of the answer to this problem, its incorporation
into Ohio States’ academics is paramount.

Improve Accessibility of Recycling and Composting Bins

A number of locations which sell recyclable bottled goods on campus lack recycling bins for patrons.
Ensuring that all of the dining locations offer recycling is critical to diverting campus waste away from
landfills when possible. An example of one such dining location which lacks recycling options is Curl
Market. Adding additional recycling bins around campus would come with increased costs to empty these
bins. According to Millard, a school in Puget Sound, Washington came up with an innovative solution. To
reduce these costs, the school placed QR codes on recycling bins so appropriate personnel can be notified
of the full bin’s location. This prevents employees from wasting time emptying bins that are only partially
full. All newly deployed trash and recycling bins should contain these uniquely identifying QR codes.

Newly deployed recycling and trash bins should also include branding which encourages people to think
before throwing something away. Meng and Trudel found that when trash cans were labeled using
negative emoticons, a significantly higher portion of waste was recycled by students. The branding on the
newly deployed bins should incorporate clear instructions as to what can and cannot be recycled, as well
as contain messaging that discourages the unnecessary waste of otherwise recyclable materials.

Composting bins should be added at high-volume dining locations. Although the dining halls already
compost behind-the-scenes, being able to compost at the other types of locations would greatly reduce
waste. With appropriate instructions, composting bins would allow individuals to separate compostable
food waste and paper material for composting.

Implementation of Reusable Goods

Single-use packaging is currently the sole option for to-go containers at OSU. What many students do not
realize is that the to-go boxes are made of cardboard, and therefore can be composted but not recycled.
The lack of awareness on what can and cannot be recycled results in the majority of these to-go containers
to end up in the trash or in a recycling bin, where they must be thrown away anyways. While our
proposed education program on sustainability aims to increase awareness on what materials should be
recycled, composted, or put in the trash, we propose the replacement of single-use to-go boxes with long
term reusable to-go containers to combat the waste problem at OSU. These containers would greatly
reduce the amount of waste produced by dining halls around the Columbus campus. The proposed
reusable to-go containers would keep the same design as the current cardboard one but will be made out
of a microwavable and dishwasher safe plastic similar to popular tupperware materials. Many schools
including Ohio University, the University of Florida, and Boston College, have implemented similar
programs successfully charging around $10 per student (Hudson, 2018).

The reusable to-go container initiative allows students to participate in an exciting sustainability program
for only a small fee. Students can pay an initial buy-in fee of $10 to receive a voucher for a reusable to-go
box. Once the cost of the initial voucher is paid, students can exchange their voucher for a reusable to-go
container and use it for their desired amount of time. When the to-go box is returned to the dining hall for
proper cleaning by dining hall staff, the student will receive another voucher to get a new container. A 48
hour time limit will be placed on the returnal of containers for proper cleaning in order to keep the process
efficient and ensure enough containers are clean and ready for use each day. To reduce the chance of
students keeping the containers, an additional fee will be charged if a student loses or fails to return a to-
go container (Hudson, 2018). If this happens, the fee can be used to buy into the program again. A visual
representation of the reusable to-go container use and return process is pictured below.

Figure 1.​ Reusable To-go Container Process. Adapted from: (Marketing, 2017)

For the first 1-3 years of the proposed reusable to-go container initiative, the program would rely on
reward and incentive to promote student involvement. Rather than completely replace the existing
cardboard to-go boxes at OSU dining halls, the proposed program aims to gradually phase out the
cardboard boxes. The main incentive for using the reusable to-go containers would be cost. Students only
pay an initial buy-in fee for the reusable to-go container program, but a small fee of around $0.50 would
be charged for each use of the cardboard to-go box. If a student uses a to-go box just twice a week for an
entire semester, they would still be saving money using the reusable option. After the trial period has been
completed assuming the program proves to be successful in reducing waste and the costs associated with
excessive waste, the reusable to-go containers can be fully integrated into the dining plans with costs built
into the dining plan chosen by students. The return of containers could also be tracked through the
student’s BuckID rather than the voucher system to make the system entirely online. The implementation
of reusable to-go containers into the dining services provided for students with dining plans will
drastically reduce the amount of waste being produced in the various dining halls on campus.

Qualifications and Experience

Brigid Lawler
As an Industrial and Systems engineering major, my fundamental engineering education has given me
many technical and communication skills that make me qualified to successfully execute this plan. I
worked on a similar project in my second semester of engineering classes, where I worked with a team to
propose a program that would provide a reliable, affordable, and accessible transportation service to bring
elderly patients to and from their medical appointments. Our proposed plan won best solution in a
class-wide competition judged by industry professionals as well as OSU professors. In addition to my
previous project work, I have extensively researched the environmental and economic costs associated
with excessive waste as well as the best alternatives to landfills. In addition, I have researched the
sustainability programs at other institutions and universities across the country and analyzed what aspects
of the programs would make our proposed solutions most likely to be successful at OSU. My previous
experience, engineering skills, and extensive research on the topic make me qualified to execute and
integrate our proposed plan into OSU’s sustainability initiative.

Gabrielle Butz
I am a qualified individual who is able to manage a project of this matter. As I finish my 4th year as
public health major with a specialization in environmental public health, I have gained valuable
knowledge about the environment through my courses. My classes focus on various health and world
issues caused by our environment. Therefore, I am aware of the negative impacts humans are causing on
our health and environment. Furthermore, I am a research assistant in a developmental cognitive lab at
Ohio State which allows me to work the scientific method and research data daily. As a result, I have
properly researched various topics surrounding the importance of sustainability education in schools. Due
to my academics, research background, and extensive analysis of the topics, I can confidently propose
these improvements into Ohio State existing program.

Andrew Haberlandt
As a sophomore Computer Science and Engineering major at The Ohio State University, I am uniquely
qualified to be a part of this waste management program. My engineering education has prepared me with
the problem solving experience required to tackle large-scale problems. Through the first year
engineering honors course, I worked on a team to create innovative robotics solutions to problems that fit
within provided constraints. I am excited to apply these skills to improve the university’s waste
management program. As a part of this project, I have researched the history of the waste problem on
college campuses and the most innovative solutions being implemented on college campuses today. I also
researched the psychological aspects of waste management.
 Budget

Table 1. ​Budget for the Improvements to Ohio State’s Waste Management and Sustainability program
(Butz, Haberlandt, & Lawler 2019)
Item Cost Quantity Total

First Year Success $275 per session 150 sessions per school $41,250 per year
Series Materials (paper year
supplies, props,
audio-visual equipment,
and refreshments)

Reusable to-go $4.43 (per container) 3300 containers $14,619 per year
container

Additional recycling $10 per bin 100 bins per year $1000 per year
bins

Additional labelling on $2 per bin 100 bins per year $200 per year
new trash and recycling
bins

“Earth Tub” Composter $9629 3 $28887

Total Cost $85,956

In order to implement our proposed program, there are various items that need to be purchased.The total
start-up cost for our improvements to the sustainability program would be $85,956. However, this does
not include any of the money Ohio State will get back from the initial fee the students pay for the reusable
to-go boxes or the money saved by reducing waste. First, successful lecture sessions need various paper
supplies, props, audio-visual equipment and catering in order to have high attendance and effectiveness.
The estimated price for these items is $275 per First Year Success Series (Carnegie Mellon University,
2019). There would be two First Year Success Series lectures held every weekday. The cost per week
would be $2,750 while the cost per school year would be $41,250. Because First Year Success Series are
included with freshman year survey class, the cost is included in tuition. When $41,250 is divided among
the amount the students at Ohio State, tuition would be raised by approximately $0.67. Therefore, the
benefits of educational programs about sustainability and waste management clearly outweigh the cost.

For the reusable to-go container program, the containers typically cost $4.43 per unit when bought in
bulk. It is recommended to purchase them in a 3:1 ratio, or 3 containers for every to-go swipe used. This
allows for enough time for students to return the containers and for kitchen staff to clean the returned
containers before running out of ready-to-go containers. It should be noted that the budget accounts for at
least a 20% loss of goods due to students breaking or misplacing containers as well as normal wear and
tear (Marketing, 2017). Charging the students $10 for participation in the program is a reasonable cost per
student to recoup most of the university's original investment. For example, assuming 1,100 to-go swipes
are used in a single day, 3,300 containers should be purchased. Additional research would be conducted to
determine the exact number of to-go swipes are used at each traditions location to determine the exact
number of boxes needed. Assuming 3,300 containers would be purchased, the university would invest
$14,619.00 on the containers and get back $10,000 from the initial buy-in fee of $10 students must pay
leaving a cost of only $4,619.00 for the university after the fact. This does not include the added revenue
of charging students fees for lost containers. This is a small price to pay for the numerous environmental
benefits of replacing single-use containers with reusable ones. The university will also be saving money
by drastically reducing the waste associated with single-use containers, so the benefits of implementing
the reusable containers far outweigh the cost.

Additional trash and recycling bins can be purchased for approximately $10 per unit, with labels available
from any commercial label printing firm for under $2 per unit. The purchase of 100 new recycling bins
per year would increase the availability of recycling bins around campus and allow for the replacement of
older bins with those with the new labelling over time.

To enable composting at high-volume dining locations, we propose the purchase of three high-volume
composters, each with a 3 cubic yard capacity. These would be situated in the three traditional dining hall
locations.

Conclusion
The Ohio State University wastes excessive amounts of food, plastic, and other goods every day.
Landfills cause the production of methane gas, leachate, and greenhouse gases which are all extremely
detrimental to our environment and the health of OSU’s students and faculty. The transportation of waste
to and from landfills and recycling plants also causes greenhouse gas emission and pollution. Not only is
this waste harmful for the environment, but it is costing OSU thousands of dollars. There is a
sustainability program currently in place that has made many steps in the right direction, but there is room
for improvement. The main issue with the current program is that recycling and composting bins are not
always clear and present and that students do not know what should be recycled, composted, or thrown in
the trash. There is also room for the implementation of more reusable goods. So, we propose a plan to
improve three aspects of the sustainability initiative at OSU: education about sustainability, waste
management equipment, and the lack of reusable goods used in dining halls. The education initiative aims
to increase the student’s awareness of proper sustainability practices, which has been shown to decrease
waste and improve the diversion of waste away from landfills, through the addition of three new
sustainability First Year Success Series in addition to integrating sustainability themes into writing
classes. We also propose the addition of more clearly labeled composting and recycling bins throughout
all OSU dining locations, not only in the Traditions dining halls, to increase the diversion of trash away
from landfills. And finally, the implementation of a comprehensive reusable goods program where
students pay an initial fee to participate and return the containers to be properly washed by dining hall
staff will reduce the waste produced by the single-use containers currently used. The environmental
benefits of the implementation of these programs far outweigh the overall costs associated with them, not
to mention the long-term financial savings resulting from cutting down on waste.
Thank you for taking the time to read our proposed program about improving Ohio State sustainability
program. If you have any questions, concerns and comments, please email ​butz.63@osu.edu​ for
Gabrielle Butz, ​lawler.105@osu.edu​ for Brigid Lawler, and ​haberlandt.3@osu.edu​ for Andrew
Haberlandt.
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