What We're Doing

Recycling and Waste

WWU Recycling Center

In 1971, Western Washington University became one of the first universities in the United States to have a campus recycling program. The A.S. Recycle Center continues to be unique among its kind: it's student - run! Every day, the A.S. Recycle Center collects 3,800 pounds of recyclables from Western's campus, continuing our commitment to reducing Western's waste stream and lightening our burden on the environment.

Website: http://recycle.as.wwu.edu/
Program Contact: Richard Neyer, WWU Recycle Center Coordinator
Email: Richard.Neyer@wwu.edu

Zero Waste WWU!

The WWU Office of Sustainability and partners are committed to eliminating all recyclable and compostable waste from the WWU waste stream. Through education, operational changes and peer education, WWU will become a "zero waste" institution.

• Quarterly Waste Audits

  Western has been conducting quarterly waste audits since 2009 in order to track waste composition and provide data for waste reduction programs and campus sustainability education. Waste audits are a joint project of the Air and Waste Management student group, Facilities Management, the AS Recycle Center, and the Office of Sustainability. Buildings are selected on a rotating basis, and waste audits take place near Red Square where waste tallies are posted for the public to see. Waste audits have also been completed by visiting high school students over the summer quarter as part of a sustainability education series. See waste audit results.

• Go Green Games

  Each quarter, one athletic event becomes the site of a Western “Go Green” Game. Waste reduction and energy conservation tips are provided throughout the game from the commentators, and a waste recycling competition takes place on the floor during half-time. After the game, EcoReps provide recycling guidance in front of sorting stations as attendees leave the game.

• Dining Services Organic Waste Recycling

  All three Western dining halls, and all but one retail location compost all pre and post-consumer waste through our local waste hauler.
  http://www.campusdish.com/en-US/CSW/WesternWashington/Sustainability/

• Trayless Dining Halls

  In 2009, all dining halls piloted trayless dining in an effort to reduce food waste. Food waste from over 4000 patrons daily was reduced approximately 30% through this effort.

• Landfill Labeling
  

  In 2008, Western made a large purchase of new “garbage” containers for most campus academic buildings, purchasing a high-recycled content and durable product. Most importantly, all containers were labeled “landfill” vs. “trash”. This subtle change has important effects, including increased awareness of waste streams, and support of recycling efforts.

• Removal of Stand-Alone Trash Cans & Sorting Station Pilot

  In 2010, Western began piloting removing stand-alone trash containers from public areas in select buildings in order to increase recycling levels. These same buildings were outfitted with four part “sorting stations” which include the usual container and paper recycling as well as organic waste recycling and labeled “landfill” containers. Where available, educational signage is placed above the bins.

• Sustainable Office Certification
  

  Western’s Sustainable Office Certification system includes a section dedicated solely to waste. This “green office” program includes options for points for items such as printing margin reductions, single-sided paper reuse, reusable mug use, and organic waste recycling as four of fifteen separate waste reduction actions. http://www.wwu.edu/sustain/soc/

• Go For the Green

  As part of the “Go For the Green” campus-wide residence hall sustainability contest, halls earn points for reductions in landfill levels each month during winter quarter. Levels are checked as part of regular dumpster level assessments. http://www.wwu.edu/sustain/resrap/

• Dumpster Level Assessments

  Every two weeks, an Office of Sustainability staff member checks all campus dumpsters for waste quantity and basic material composition. This data is used to track building waste production as well as provide the campus information on potential waste reduction avenues.

• Paper Towel Composting Pilot
  

  In 2011, Western piloted paper towel composting in two high-traffic library bathrooms, funded by the Green Energy Fee program. Over 22% of landfill waste at Western is paper towels. The pilot showed that simple signage can have a significant impact on paper towel composting, and that paper towel composting is cost effective in bathrooms. http://www.wwu.edu/sustain/gef/projects/

• Hand Drier Pilots

  In 2008 and 2011, Western piloted three types of high-tech hand driers in two separate buildings as older models of hand driers were widely considered to be non-effective within the desired drying time. Placards encouraging comments on the various models were placed in bathrooms. One particular brand was found to be likely by most all users for hand drying speed and noise levels. This model has been proposed as a campus standard for new construction and remodels. http://www.wwu.edu/sustain/gef/projects/

• Water Bottle Refill Stations

  Funded by the Green Energy Fee, Western installed three water bottle refill stations in 2012 to reduce plastic waste. Plastic containers compose 13% of all landfill waste on campus. These stations have recorded over 65,000 fills in just under one year. http://www.wwu.edu/sustain/gef/projects/

  Recorded numbers of disposable plastic bottles saved (October 2012)

  • Wade King Recreation Center: 38,510
  • Arntzen Hall: 13,981
  • Old Main: 12,922
  • Total: 65,413
• Visual Sorting Station Signage

  In two retail locations on campus, an “all visual” signage was piloted. These signs hold physical examples of the items that are sold in the particular retail area above the correct waste sorting option. Most users of the system like the visual signage due to ease of understanding and speed of sorting.

• Move Out Madness

  At the end of the 2009-10 school year, Western held its first end-of-the-year waste reduction campaign aimed at decreasing the amount of reusable items entering the landfill, as well as significant levels of waste on the streets of Bellingham. This partnership between the Office of Sustainability and the City of Bellingham placed five large reusable item containers in the neighborhoods around the university, as well as landfill dumpsters for non-reusable, non-recyclable waste. Collected reusable materials from the neighborhoods as well as from all eleven on-campus residence halls were materials were made available to the Bellingham community through a “free-sale” after graduation.

Program Contact: Seth Vidaña, Manager, Office of Sustainability
Email: Seth.Vidana@wwu.edu

Electronics Recycling

The following vendors we use for electronics and rechargeable batteries recycling and disposal hold the E-Steward certification. These vendors are:

1. ECS Refining - This company has recycled a majority if not all of Western's electronics that has gone through the Surplus process since 2007. Through the Apple e-waste program, Apple has paid for the transportation and recycling/ disposal of Western's e-waste. The Certificate of Recycling that we receive comes from ECS Recycling. ECS Recycling is on the e-Stewards Recycler listing.


2. Call2Recycle - Known for a long time as RBRC (Rechargeable Battery and Recycling Corp), EHS has shipped Western's rechargeable batteries to Call2Recycle for recycling. Call2Recycle is also on the e-Stewards Recycler listing.


3. Total Reclaim - Total Reclaim is the sister company of Ecolights NW. Ecolights holds the WA State contract for electronics recycling. When Western is unable to recycle electronics through the Apple program as stated above, the other responsible option is to recycle through Ecolights. Total Reclaim is on the e-Stewards Recycler listing.

For hazardous waste and non-rechargeable batteries, Western uses Clean Harbors (they are not on the e-Stewards list but holds the WA State Contract for disposal of hazardous waste).

WWU seeks to minimize the presence of hazardous, universal and non-regulated waste materials on campus by providing an annual Pollution Prevention report to the Department of Ecology. The University works with the DOE to create attainable goals within certain time frames. These goals include reducing chemical use, substitution of highly hazardous chemicals with less hazardous chemicals, and education outreach.

WWU Facilities Management also uses Ecolights NW for recycling and disposal of Western's fluorescent lamps.

---

Program News

Western Today: Western gets 24 new beverage recycling containers {1/17/13}
The Western Front: ...first to adopt Starbucks reusable cup movement {1/14/13}
The Bellingham Herald: WWU works to ban sales of bottled water... {9/23/12}
Western Today: College Quest students perform WWU waste audit {7/20/12}
The Bellingham Herald: WWU, contractor donate 128 dressers... {6/19/12}
The Bellingham Herald: Collection sites set up for WWU students' trash {6/4/12}
Western Today: WWU, City Plan Neighborhood Recycling Effort June 4-8 {6/1/12}
The Western Front: Upcycling: More than a hobby {5/18/12}
The AS Review: Water Bottle initiative {4/23/12}
The Western Front: Volunteers clean up beach, make art from... {4/3/12}