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Home > College Offices > Environmental Stewardship > Get Involved > Meeting Minutes > Waste 4/27/05
Waste Reduction and Recycling
Working Group Minutes
Meeting Minutes
April 27, 2005
Attendees: Mike Buckley, Gary Laverdiere, Dale Hennessey, John Fortini, Deb Morrissey, Sue Cote, Mark Bielas, Rene Davis, Nancy Apple I. Recyclemania
MHC placed 7th out of the 34 schools competing in the national per capita competition. The amount recycled was measured in each residence hall for 10 weeks. Volunteers from EAC counted containers 2 or 3 times a week before the material was removed by the vendor. Weekly rates started at 3.87 lbs/student and ended at 5.91. The total was 44.88 lbs/student over the 10 weeks (low week was dropped). The competition ranged from 66.19 (Miami University) — 4.39 lbs/student. MHC was the highest rate in New England (Harvard (40.82), Tufts (40.25), MIT (40.29), Yale (35.39), UVM (33.85), BC (33.06), Brown (29.94), Dartmouth (29.85), UM (26.26), Clark (11.26)). In the halls Prospect and Pearsons Annex tied at 47 lbs/student. Residents received coupons for $1.25 at Uncommon Grounds funded by Residential Life.
It was a good learning experience. There was a significant disparity between hall rates. The hope for competition between halls did not gain much momentum. A better prize announced earlier could spark interest. We also need a more robust education program and will look to AEC to try to take that on next year. Volunteer counters found the central locations were not always obvious or labeled. The lack of uniformity in collection containers and container labeling at various locations was also noted as an issue. The importance of Work Chairs in the success of the recycling program was evident. Unfortunately, it is considered an undesirable job and has high turnover. The rates were lower than expected for mixed paper with contamination noted as a major issue.
Mike Buckley volunteered that FM could help support a better prize next year. It was suggested that next year we also count trash for comparison. Nancy will bring this up with AEC, the current work load seemed to strain the student volunteers, adding trash would mean counting 5 days in all locations.
II. Food Waste Composting
The composting trial in Prospect began in January. In February we pomposted 11,490 lbs, which equates to .71 lbs/meal. For planning purposes, if we extrapolate the per meal rate to full service centers the total collected would have been 45,217 in February. Trial materials went to Hampshire and we are in conversations with Hampshire about future use of their facility.
The program expanded to include pre and post consumer waste at Prospect, Abbey, Rocky, Ham, Wilder, Willits and pre consumer waste at Torrey and Blanchard at the beginning of April. The material is going to Martins Farm in Greenfield. We are working on modifications to storage locations to meet BOH requirements. We hope to continue composting with summer programs.
III. Building Containers
The ECO-Reps have completed a survey of recycling containers in residence halls and academic/administrative buildings. Over the years the container types and labeling have lost standardization. FM will work over the summer to improve container labeling and standardization.
Over the course of the year, FM has put new containers inside the doors of most academic buildings for trash and bottles/cans. This is an alternative to additional outside containers, which are harder to maintain.
Last fall AEC had a project to wash room recycling containers and distribute them to students. AEC would like to see this done prior to the opening of school. This would serve to reinforce that recycling should be the norm. Mike Buckley said that when this has been done in the past, they received many complaints from students who did not want the containers and containers were often just left in the hall and required staff to pick-up. We agreed to put containers on each floor in Prospect, Ham, Abbey, Buckland and 1837 as a pilot.
IV. End of Year Collection
We will continue to collect clothing, electronics and small appliances in the residence halls as in previous years, and to tell students they can leave their laundry detergent for summer use. Nancy has been contacted by a new group called Textbook Recycle about collecting textbooks at the end of the year. They provide totes and pick-up the books at no charge. The Group decided to try this putting totes in the halls that have key drop off: Buckland, North Rocky, Safford, 1837, Pearsons, and Prospect. We will also put containers in the Kendade atrium, and the Library foyer. Nancy will talk with the Odyssey about putting a tote there. Nancy will ask that the totes be placed the last day of classes and picked up the Wednesday before commencement.
V. Start of Semester
The ECO-Reps submitted a proposal to add environmental stewardship as an orientation topic. The orientation schedule is already packed and the organizers felt there wasn't time. The suggestion was to attend beginning of the year hall meetings. We will again put recycling posters on each hall floor as opposed to distribution to each new student.
Note: Angie Fowler is no longer in the position of Five College Recycling Coordinator. The position will be reviewed over the summer to determine how it can best support the programs on each of the four campuses.
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