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Projects Updates for place: Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC)

  1. Recycled Glove Quantities Reported by Kimberly-Clark

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Kimberly-Clark reported the following waste diversion statistics related to the glove recycling program:

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Illinois Sustainable Technology  Center: 3,000 lbs

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Illinois Chemistry Department: 440 lbs

     

    The time frame was not included in the report. Additional information will be sought.

  3. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    Hi Pete and Shawn—

    Morgan and I spent a chunk of time together this afternoon so she could catch me up on our latest efforts with the baler feasibility study, styrofoam recycling, glass recycling, and glove recycling. Activity from the past week is as follows: 

    • Morgan showed me some web tool resources that will enable me to finish out the glove recycling section of the iCAP portal.
    • I reached out to the Sustainable Student Farm and another local farmer to see if they can use the coffee grounds that the campus Starbuck’s is making available. Morgan and I speculated on whether some of the other coffee shop vendors might be interested in a similar setup. If we have some success with Starbuck’s I will follow up with Illini Union Vending. 
    • I talked to Carly Rizor at UIC about their experience with the Big Belly bins—and the costs. I shared information verbally with Morgan today. She had a few more questions for me to follow up on, so I will write up notes once I get the additional information. 

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  6. Replaced Related File Dec. 10, 2017

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Replaced Glove Bin Poster.pdf file of the glove bin sign with a newer version sent from Jonathan McClintock. The newer version (UIUC KC RIGHTSYCLE BIN SIGN.pdf) includes a campus logo.

  7. Archived Project Description

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Archived and replaced the following description on Dec. 10, 2017:

    In lab buildings, protective gloves can be a major component of the waste stream.  For example, at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), plastic gloves were found to be over 8% of their total waste by weight.  There is a recycling program for nitrile gloves that can be purchased through Fisher Scientific, for Kimberely-Clark nitrile gloves.  This program is being implemented at various locations across campus.

  8. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    Hi Tracy—

    Here are my updates on zero-waste activities from the past week: 

    • I updated the information on glass recycling on the iCAP Portal page.
    • I drafted instructions for units that would like glass recycling pick-up from Housing; they are with Morgan and Housing for review.
    • Although no new changes have been made to the battery recycling program, there was quite a bit of correspondence about it during the past week.
    • I participated in some correspondence about the best way to wind down the Styrecycle program and transition to decentralized EPS recycling.
    • Anna Barnes notified me the previous week that she has time available to work on glove recycling materials, so I re-sent drafts of content I had developed. 

    While I’m on this email, I have a question for you that came up in my work on glass recycling. You told me a while back that campus units can purchase blue desk-side recycling bins through Central Stores. I’ve been trying to reach Marcy Wright at Purchasing to see if the larger indoor bins and outdoor toters/bins should be purchased through iBuy. Do you have information on that question? I tried to get in and look through iBuy catalogs on my own, but I wasn’t able to find a way to do so; I think it may require an iBuy login, which I wouldn’t be eligible for, given that I don’t have any purchasing responsibilities of my own. 

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  11. EPS recycling at Dart; Departments to arrange transportation of materials

    Associated Project(s): 
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    In July 2017, the vendor with whom the UIUC campus had partnered for EPS recycling was purchased by another vendor that was not able to continue the partnership. Central funding for transporting EPS to drop-off locations ended. Departments that had been participating in the Styrecycle program will be notified of the changed circumstances and will be encouraged to arrange their own transporation of EPS to the drop-off location at Dart Container, 1505 E. Main St., Urbana. There is no charge to drop off EPS at Dart. F&S is exploring options to provide an EPS recycling location on campus.

  12. Archive of page content, Oct. 15, 2017

    Associated Project(s): 
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    The following content was replaced with new program information on Oct. 15, 2017:

    Description

    The University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (UIUC) now recycles expanded polystyrene (EPS), more commonly known by its brand name Styrofoam. By recycling this bulky material, we can reduce the volume of waste sent from campus to landfills and avoid the harmful environmental impacts of that practice.

    The Styrecycle program was started in Fall 2015 and partnered with Community Resource Inc. (CRI) to bring EPS recycling to the UIUC campus. Our program can help you do your part to reduce the volume of waste campus sends to landfill — waste which will never biodegrade.

    To find out more about Styrecycle, you can visit our website at: http://sustainability.illinois.edu/campus-sustainability/actionsinitiatives/styrecycle/

    Or Like us on our Facebook page: www.facebook.com/Styrecycle

    « Collapse description

    Website URL(s)

             

     

  13. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    Hi Tracy—

    Here are my zero-waste updates from this past week: 

    • Morgan, Micah, Colin Tirakian, Joe Pickowitz, and I met to discuss EPS recycling. For now, we’ll direct interested departments to take materials to the Dart Container drop-off location in Urbana, which they can do free of charge. They will need to arrange their own transport of materials. With the densifier now at ISTC, we’ll investigate whether ISTC can become the drop-off location. 
    • I updated the iCAP page on EPS recycling.
    • I drafted an email to send to Styrecycle participants. It is now with Morgan for review. She is obtaining a list of participants to whom we’ll send it.

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  14. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    Hi Tracy—
    This past week was a slow one, with various emails to follow up on ac3vi3es from previous weeks. I will press harder on the loose ends this coming week so that we can move forward on the glove and glass recycling efforts and get website informa3on about battery recycling fully up to date. 

    I will also con3nue efforts with regard to Styrecylce. The densifier has been moved from Midwest Fiber to ISTC. Micah is working on seting up a mee3ng to figure out the next steps. 

    I put Amanda Soskin, a volunteer from the community, in touch with Morgan. Amanda is interested in reducing waste at tailgates. Morgan put her and Gopal Pareek in touch with each other so that they can lay out plans. 

    Best regards,

    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  15. Pursuing Resources for Transporting Gloves to Trailer

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Having a resource to transport gloves from the locations where they are used to the centralized collection point (a trailer at the Physical Plant) would help boost participation in the glove recycling program. Staff and volunteer resources are being explored at present.

  16. Weekly Update for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Achieve Zero Waste
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    Hi Tracy—
    This past week, my zero-waste coordination activities were 

    • Finalizing updated instructions for participating in the battery recycling program
    • Updating battery and glove recycling locations in the iCAP portal
    • Coordinating with ISTC on relocating the styrofoam densifier from Midwest Fiber to ISTC
    • Communicating with a VWR representative on their participation in the Kimberly Clark glove recycling program 

    Best regards,

    Marya Ryan
    Zero Waste Coordinator

  20. program update

    Associated Project(s): 
    Styrecycle: Expanded polystyrene (EPS) recycling program

    STYRECYCLE: During the spring 2017 semester, student volunteers collected more than 500 pounds of expanded polystyrene for recycling — bringing their total collected to nearly 900 pounds. In addition, this program is saying goodbye to a founding member and longtime leader. Thank you to Marco Tijoe for your two years of steering the ship!

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