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Projects Updates for Establish a Net Zero Waste Plan and Policy

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  1. Zero Waste iCAP Team Meeting

    The Zero Waste iCAP Team met on Thursday, March 31 to de-brief the Plastics Reduction Strategy discussion, review committee member research on the Adopt-a-Highway/Adopt-a-Drain and Composting Committee Recommendations, and begin discussion on amending the Campus Administrative Manual's Paper Policy. Meeting minutes are attached.

  2. Zero Waste iCAP Team Meeting

    The Zero Waste iCAP Team met on Thursday, March 31 to de-brief the Plastics Reduction Strategy discussion, review committee member research on the Adopt-a-Highway/Adopt-a-Drain and Composting Committee Recommendations, and begin discussion on amending the Campus Administrative Manual's Paper Policy. Meeting minutes are attached.

  3. Zero Waste iCAP Team Meeting

    The Zero Waste iCAP Team met on Thursday, November 11 to review some data related to vending machine quantities and pouring operations, analyze the initiatives of some other universities, and begin discussing our campaign strategy. As some initial steps, the team devised some questions for a campuswide survey on drinking water behavior and discussed a recommendation to begin tracking drinking water filter stations on campus. Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 
  4. Zero Waste iCAP Team Meeting

    The Zero Waste iCAP Team met on Wednesday, November 3 to prioritize recommendations for this semester and plans for next semester. The team has decided to move forward with a drinking water campaign to recommend by the end of this semester, and the committee will break out into sub-teams for the upcoming semester based on several other working recommendations. Meeting minutes are attached.

    Attached Files: 
  5. Zero Waste iCAP Team First Meeting of FA21 Semester

    On Friday, October 1 the Zero Waste iCAP Team had their first meeting of the semester! The team discussed progress on last year's recommendations, zero waste initiatives from F&S, and the iCAP Objective Assessment for Zero Waste. Meeting minutes are attached.

  6. Covid-19 shut down of recycling sort line on campus

    All:

    Staying consistent with the guidelines issued by the CDC and University of Illinois effective Friday, March 20, 2020 at 3PM the sort line will be closed at the University of Illinois Waste Transfer Station until further notice Enumerated below are the changes effective 3/20/2020:

    • DSC staff has been notified and will not be sending their staff to the waste transfer station starting Monday, March 23, 2020.
    • No waste will be sent to the sort line. All collected mixed waste will be sent directly to the landfill.
    • Pre-sorted materials such as a paper and cardboard will be continued to be collected and processed on the floor as normal.
    • Pre-sorted materials such as bottles and cans will be stored in a roll-off container to be processed at a later time.
    • All staff that will continue to work during this time at the WTS must adhere to the guidelines outlined by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

    Please note that there will be no change in waste and recycling collection schedules. Facilities and Services will continue to collect source separated trash and recycling from campus dumpster there will be no change in collection service. As there will be no material going to the sort line we do not anticipate an increase in material as most of campus is currently working remotely. Facilities and Services will be working with Area to monitor generation and evaluate if additional hauling service would be needed.

     

    We thank you for your support and understanding during these unprecedented times. As always, if you have any questions or concerns please feel free to reach me or my team directly.

  7. News Gazette article on net square footage on campus

    This article in today’s News-Gazette addresses net square footage on campus, which is squarely in the portfolio of our committee. It has been a concern of iCAP since its inception in 2008. It is also one of two items called out in the charge letter for our committee for this year.

    I consider our obligation as a committee is to address the issue seriously within our committee and within the iCAP process, in order to effect change in campus growth. Any of us may of course, as citizens, engage the public dialogue on this issue. With this email I’d just like to bring everyone up to speed on the work of our committee last year. See slides 2 through 7 in the attachment.

    I don’t know that we need to do anything differently, given the public airing of this issue. I’d like to hear from others on the committee on this matter.

    Bill Rose

     

    Attached Files: 
  8. PWR SWATeam Minutes 3/29

    Meeting Minutes 3/29

    During this meeting, the PWR SWAT Team coordinated with Marya Ryan, the new Zero Waste Coordinator. We discussed previous campus efforts for multiple different projects like composting and recycling as well as introduced ourselves to one another. 

    The SWAT Team also was updated on progress with reviewing the Paper Policy Draft comments and will finish this review by next meeting. 

    Furthermore, a discussion of composting efforts on campus was discussed and an effort to create a comprehensive map of waste pickup routes will be created. 

    Next meeting is TBD.

    Attached Files: 
  9. PWR SWATeam Minutes 3/15

    At the PWR SWAT Team meeting on March 15th, the team debated over the message in the new Ethics Compliance Message concerning recycling standards and rules. The team decided that two videos should be created, one with base instructions for recycling, the other for explaining the commonly misunderstood paper policy. The team will look more into the paper policy draft and suggest a new paper policy for the campus. 

    Attached Files: 
  10. Student workers needed

    Illinois Sustainable Technology Center

    Campus Waste Study 

    "We are conducting some research on the campus waste hauling process and I am looking for some help. I need workers for a project that will last for one week, paying $10 per hour. In this project I am looking for people to ride along on the waste collection routes to record how full the dumpsters are prior to being emptied. I have three routes to cover.  The first starts at 3am and runs until 11:30am. The other two routes start at 6:30am and run until 3pm." - Bart Bartels

     

    *If you are interested please contact Bart Bartels, Technical Assistance Engineer ,* at217.244.7572 or bbartel@illinois.edu.

     

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  11. Status update from Bart to Tracy

    Tracy,

    Here is an update and overview from our conversation this morning.

    1.        We will start by auditing BIF on the week of October 5-9.  Kari Cooperider is our contact.  Everything is in place at this venue.  Bin mapping has already been done.  We will pick up most of the material from both dumpsters on a daily basis.  You may not have to empty these all week but we will let you know if it is needed.  We will also weigh all the recycling totes on site before you pick up that material, but not remove anything from the totes.  Everything removed from the dumpsters will be taken to ISTC for sorting and then dropped off at the WTS the next morning. 

    2.       The Illini Union will be audited the week of October 12-17.  Dave Guth and David Parker are our contacts.  They are working to have Area provide them with a roll off for that week.  Bin mapping has been done.  They are already looking to purchase new bins and change signage.  We will capture 400 pounds of material and take it to ISTC for sorting.  Afterward that material will be taken back to the Union.  The compactor will only be used in the case overflow is needed.  We will coordinate the collection of samples to prior to the Area pickups.  

    3.       LAR will be audited the week of October 19-23.  Contacts are Michael Wassom (BSW Supervisor) and Brenda Welch (Dining Supervisor) .  For this week you will provide a 20 yard roll off and place it at the loading dock next to the compactor.  The compactor will not be used during this week.  For this week LAR will place everything in liners and place them in the 20 yard roll off.  We will be pulling out 40 bags per day but there will most likely still need to be pickups depending on how much material is left over.    We will call you when that is needed and to coordinate our samples being picked up prior.  Bin mapping has already been done.

    4.       RAL is also scheduled for October 19-23.  Our contacts are Wes Riggsby and Ron Eggett.  For this audit they have agreed to use liners for that week.  They are also going to try and direct any waste from the Chemical Life Sciences building to the dumpsters on the other side of their building.  Because RAL has a deep dumpster, you have agreed to replace it with a 20 yard roll off.  We will be picking up 40 bags per day and taking them to the ISTC for sorting.  That material will be taken to the WTS the next morningWe believe that some pickups may be needed but we will call you if that is the case. 

    The materials will be collected and then sorted behind ISTC.  To accommodate student workers, the timing of the sorts will be from 3pm -7pm each day.  Surveys will also be done on each building. 

    Cheers,

    Bart

  12. Update from Bart to Tracy

    Hi Tracy,

    Plans are coming together for the waste audits so let me give you the latest.

    1.        We will start by auditing BIF on the week of October 5-9.  Kari Cooperider is our contact.  Everything is in place at this venue.  Bin mapping has already been done.

    2.       The Illini Union will be audited the week of October 12-17.  Dave Guth and David Parker are our contacts.  They are working to have Area provide them with a roll off for that week.  Bin mapping has been done.  They are already looking to purchase new bins and change signage.

    3.       LAR will be audited the week of October 19-23.  Contact is Michael Wassom.  To do this audit we would like a roll off placed on site for that week.  Can you help us with that?  Bin mapping has already been done.

    4.       RAL is also scheduled for October 19-23.  Our contacts are Wes Riggsby and Ron Eggett.  For this audit they have agreed to use liners for that week.  They are also going to try and direct any waste from the Chemical Life Sciences building to the dumpsters on the other side of their building.  RAL has a very deep dumpster.  Could you replace that for the week with a shorter version?  We are happy to make frequent pickups to accommodate a decrease in capacity.   

    The materials will be collected and then sorted behind ISTC.  To accommodate student workers, the timing of the sorts will be from 3pm -7pm each day.  Materials will then either be dropped on the dumpster and recycling bins at ISTC or taken to the WTS the next morning.  I think most will have to be taken to the WTS because of the limited capacity at ISTC.  Surveys will also be done on each building.  Art and Design students are also putting together a structure built from waste.  Final reports on everything should be complete by year end.  Please let me know if you have any questions or want to discuss in more detail. 

    Cheers,

    Bart

     

  13. Zero Waste Plan has been drafted

    A Zero Waste Plan has been drafted for the Urbana-Champaign campus at the Univeristy of Illinois.  The plan is currently being reviewed by the Purchasing and Waste SWATeam.  Once agreement is reached, the document will be forwarded to the Sustainability Working Group for consideration of implementation.

  14. Request to SWATeam

    Hello waste SWATeam and Ben,

    As you know, the iCAP called for a Zero Waste Policy to be developed, and we have a draft for a CAM policy (attached). 

    I’m not sure a CAM policy is the best solution, so I asked around for information about where campus policies usually reside and I was given the following info.  As the SWATeams are approved to move forward to the next phase, it would be great to have iSEE and the iCAP SWATeam take the lead on getting a formal Zero Waste Policy adopted. 

    Ben, Bart, and I have discussed this over the last few months, and I believe it is most appropriate advancing to campus decision makers through the iCAP process rather than through F&S.  Please let me know what you think.

    Thanks,  Morgan

    ---------------

    Dear Purchasing, Waste, and Recycling SWATeam,   I just wanted to add my $0.02 that I concur with Morgan that it makes sense to pursue the review and approval of a Zero Waste Policy through the SWATeam process, and your team is clearly the right one for this task.  Cheers,  Ben

    ----------------

    I like the idea. If there is an agreement, we can discuss the policy itself in our next meeting. 

    Regards,

    -Dilip Chhajed ------------ I'm in. - Warren Lavey

     

    Attached Files: 
  15. Approval to hire Zero Waste Coordinator

    The Executive Director of Facilities and Services approved hiring a Zero Waste Coordinator today.  This will be a half-time academic hourly position, working with Tracy Osby at the Waste Transfer Station and Morgan Johnston in Sustainability.  The candidate has been selected, and the job description is attached here.

    Attached Files: 

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