Changes to the university’s waste disposal and collection system
As part of its commitment to building a more sustainable campus, Â鶹´«Ã½ University is taking steps to:
- Reduce the volume of waste generated on campus and sent to landfills.
- Improve our recycling rates.
To help reach these goals, the university has launched a centralized garbage and recycling collection system. This system will change the way faculty and staff dispose of their office waste.
What is centralized waste collection?
With centralized waste collection, you take your office waste and recycling to located in , and sort and dispose of it there. The centralized bins will include receptacles for bottles and cans, paper and non-recyclable waste.
Note: Desk-side garbage bins have now been removed from office areas, but desk-side recycling bins will remain underneath your desk; you are responsible for taking all of your office garbage and recycling to a centralized bin and disposing of it there.
Why are we doing this?
By working together, we can learn how to better sort our waste, keep recyclables out of the landfill and reduce the environmental footprint of Â鶹´«Ã½’s operations.
Moving to a centralized waste collection system also aligns us with other Canadian post-secondary institutions like York University, Queen’s University, Dalhousie University and Durham College, which have already made the switch and have seen improvements in their waste diversion rates.
What results can we expect?
Exchanging desk-side bins with centralized collections points helps changes our waste disposal and recycling habits.
- Taking our waste to a centralized location makes us more mindful of how much waste we produce and the types of materials we throw out.
- Clearly labelled bins help us recognize which materials are recyclable, and how to separate them. This helps us reduce recycling-stream contamination.
Custodial staff will monitor and empty the centralized bins every day. The university will work with the custodial company to ensure a smooth transition to this new system.
Note: We are not collecting compostable materials separately within the centralized bins at this time. The university is working on a campus-wide composting program based on positive response to a food waste collection pilot program the university ran last year at its downtown Oshawa location buildings. For the time being, organic waste should go into the centralized bin’s non-recyclable waste receptacle.
Where can I learn more?
Visit the on the Go Green website. If you don’t see an answer to your question, contact sustainability@ontariotechu.ca.
Thank you for your co-operation in helping us create a more sustainable work and learning environment for our campus community.
