Much of the waste generated each day occurs in the home environment and, for a segment of a university's population, the home environment falls within university housing areas. University housing facilities are more than residential facilities. They include food services, administrative offices, and purchasing. It is this composition that makes university housing a microcosm of the larger campus community, thereby providing an essential area for waste reduction and recycling that can serve as a model to the rest of campus. There is tremendous waste recovery and reduction and education potential within these buildings. Including housing department administrators in planning processes is integral to successful waste reduction efforts on campus.

Residence Halls, apartments, multi-family complexes, cafeterias, campus catering, and other food related areas are just some of the unique categories that fall under the umbrella of university housing. These areas can be grouped into on- and off-campus residential areas. Conducting operations on-campus where buildings are often clustered together is much different than accessing off-campus complexes. Off-campus housing areas maybe be spread out over a larger area and may require more time to service than residential areas concentrated on-campus.   

Assessing and addressing the educational and operational needs of the various groups living and working in university housing areas create a path to long-term recycling success. For example, administrative, maintenance, custodial, and kitchen staff oftentimes carry over from year to year and can easily incorporate recycling into daily operations. Subsequently, these staff groups benefit most from periodic education which focuses on recycling materials specific to their work.  In contrast, students who are new to the responsibility of handling their own garbage and recycling need more detailed education about what and how to recycle when they arrive on campus at the beginning of the new academic year. 

Audit the Waste Stream
The volumes and types of materials generated within the numerous areas across campus can differ greatly. By addressing the waste streams stemming from each area, recycling and overall waste reduction can be very successful in university housing locations. An easy way to do this is through observation. Walk around housing areas, look in dumpsters, and observe which items are easily recyclable, have markets, and are generated in large quantities. As mentioned, university housing is a microcosm of a small city. Typically, these areas generate the same materials that are already being collected on campus. An in-depth waste audit can be done to gather further information. See Chapter 6: Solid Waste Audits for detailed steps on how to perform a waste audit.

• Food service areas typically generate large, bulk containers, larger volumes of lower grade paper products and food scraps. 
• On-campus dormitory areas generate more single use materials such as beverage containers and many types of paper- both low and high grade.
• Multi-family complexes generate multiple grades of paper as well as kitchen containers and packaging.

Housing Food Service Areas
Housing food service areas typically include several large cafeterias, fast food venues, and often catering operations for events. For more information about institutional kitchen recycling, see Chapter 25: Recycling in the Kitchen.

Food services on college campuses are changing. Housing departments are following suit and diversifying the dining options available to students, particularly those living on-campus. Many campuses are moving away from offering only dine-in, buffet-style meals served on reusable dishware. Incorporating convenience into food services has become a main focus. Cafes and convenience stores, where students can purchase pre-packaged, single-serving products and a la carte items, have become commonplace. 

The shift from reusable dishware and kitchen prepared meals to single-serving, disposable food products undoubtedly has a huge impact on all aspects of waste generation in housing areas. Increased trash generation is typical due to disposable dining ware and non-recyclable food packaging, but greater recycling potential emerges as well due to changing on-campus food services trends.

It is important to pay attention to food service areas and to monitor any changes in the waste stream. Garbage is increasingly expensive to manage and university housing departments pass these costs along to students. Waste reduction efforts in housing food service areas is an important area to focus on because it can significantly lower waste management costs while contributing to a healthier environment.

Reduce Waste in Housing Food Service Areas

• Eliminate disposable cups in all housing food service cafeterias. Give each new resident a reusable mug to be used to take drinks out of the cafeteria and offer discounted beverages at “for pay” housing food service areas. The refillable mugs can save thousands of dollars in disposable cup costs alone and can also be designed with a waste reduction message and campus logo.
• Educate students in the cafeteria setting to reduce napkin and food waste. A variety of messages can be placed on table tents that students read when they eat at the cafeterias. Put messages on napkin dispensers and in food areas that remind students to take what they will eat; they can always go back for more. Little reminders help people reduce waste.
• Food waste and napkin waste audits are very effective in creating awareness to reduce the amount of food and napkins people take and throw away. A theme and variation on this is to have the recycling staff dress up in t-shirts or waste busters outfits (abatement suits or lab coats with the program symbol work great!). Go to a meal and set-up barrels in the dish area for food waste, napkins, and trash. As people bring dishes to the dish return area, have folks (student volunteers who live on campus are ideal) instruct diners to place the items in the appropriate bins. At the end of the meal, weigh and track the material generated. This is especially helpful in demonstrating waste reduction through educational activities and gathering information for a future campaign for composting.
• Eliminate (or do not offer) trays at buffet-style, all-you-care-to-eat food venues. While trays can provide a convenience which allows patrons to take multiple meal courses at one time, there is a greater tendency to take more food than can be finished in one meal, resulting in food waste. In the absence of trays, patrons are more likely to finish items for which they make a second trip to the serving areas. Additionally, eliminating trays reduces the amount of overall water and energy used simply because there are fewer items to be washed.
• Offer minimally packaged items in bulk that are recyclable within the campus collection program. This is especially important in the mini-mart type of stores that are becoming more common place in residence areas and in general food service purchasing. Buying in bulk reduces waste and saves money, and people are happier getting ketchup out of a bulk squirt jar than trying to open and empty numerous single serving ketchup packets!
• Utilize reusable plates, cups, and table ware at fast food type locations for customers who stay and eat. Minimize disposable options. The trend towards fast food options is becoming a mainstay for college student unions and more recently in residence hall areas as well. 
• Create a ban on polystyrene (styrofoam) as it is a petroleum product that is the symbol of a disposable society. Styrofoam is lightweight and has a low-scrap value resulting in it generally not being accepted for recycling. Begin reducing the presence of styrofoam on campus by banning the use of styrofoam in food service applications, such as cups and to-go containers. 
• Utilize reusable products and materials when possible and especially offer them in cases when students actually stay in or near the food service establishments for dining. Many schools issue students refillable mugs when they move in. Also consider issuing a full non-breakable food ware set to all students when they move in. Plates can be made with the school logo. This can be given as a souvenir, like refillable mugs. Another option is to issue items that are considered part of the room and must be returned at the end of the year. If not, the student will be charged. When these items are lost or forgotten at fast food areas, institute a charge for the disposables. Be sure to consider waste generated in the equation. It is likely that students will indeed have the necessary incentive to remember to bring reusable containers and table settings to dining areas. 
• Implement waste reduction practices at all food locations, including elimination of unnecessary disposable items and single-serving items. This is especially important in food store types of settings. Work with the University Housing Department to reduce the volume of waste coming out of these locations. Provide opportunities for recycling at these sites.    
• Another option for fast food types of operations is to offer compostable paper food ware.  Ideally, compostable collection sites will be present in the areas where paper food ware is used.
• Design reduced food ware options. For example: create a minimal pizza envelope for a pizza slice as opposed to using a standard paper plate. This will have a notable impact in reducing waste.
• Create options for renting or selling reusable containers (like tupperware) as an additional mechanism for waste reduction.

...AND VOILA!  A win-win situation for all...waste reduction that literally costs the University Housing Department next to nothing to establish, while monetary savings from waste will be notable.

How to Build a Recycling Program in Campus Residence Halls
In order to build a recycling program in campus residence halls, it is important to:

• Create a proposal for waste recovery and reduction in these areas
• Work with Housing administrators to develop this plan
• Consider that, at most colleges, residential areas are an auxiliary department, which indicates that they will be charged for a recycling service. With this in mind, determine how the garbage is handled and what options are available for recycling collection. Some schools handle their own garbage, other schools pay outside contractors. Research the potential costs to the University Housing Department for this service. Identify if the hauler includes recycling in the service and work to create collection in these areas through an existing contractor. For schools that manage their own waste, work with a campus waste manager to determine how to implement a recycling program in residential areas in an efficient and economically viable manner.
• Keep in mind that students are the “clients” of housing departments. Work with residents, housing affiliated student groups, and resident directors/assistants to support and provide input on recycling and waste reduction.
• Compete in the annual RecycleMania Competition. Many schools focus on residence halls for educational activities and waste stream tracking. Since it is easy to reach students living on campus, residence halls provide an effective venue for getting the word out about recycling and RecycleMania adds a fun and competitive edge to waste reduction efforts. The RecycleMania also provides an opportunity to test and improve tracking mechanisms since winners are determined based on the quantity and type of recyclable materials that are recovered during the ten week competition.

Enlisting the Residents and Student Staff
Getting the student population on board with the recycling effort is an important aspect of ensuring the recycling program's success in housing areas. 

• Conduct a student survey annually to gather information on ways to improve, expand, and maintain an effort in these areas. Surveys not only provide valuable information, but they also serve as an opportunity to educate and assess the attitudes of the student population.  
• Meet with resident assistants (RAs) and resident directors (RDs) throughout the year, but most importantly at the beginning of the year. Become a regular part of their orientation and education process. Introduce the recycling routine in housing areas as part of Student Life Department programs on campus. This will help incorporate waste reduction and recycling practices into daily life in on-campus residential areas.
• Present information and include interactive waste reduction education at residence hall meetings
• Build relationships with all housing staff, especially the custodial and kitchen staff. Make sure that staff knows who to contact when service needs arise. These alliances will be beneficial to supporting the effort and gaining staff involvement and leverage for making changes and adding new programs.
• Utilize student residents as volunteers to promote waste reduction and recycling on their “home front.”
• Make contacts with residence hall governance associations or any other student leadership groups that have input into housing programming and activities. Sometimes, these student associations have funding available to assist with purchasing contest prizes, mugs, in-room dorm recycling bins, and other promotional items.    
• Work with existing resident groups that would be receptive to promoting recycling initiatives and events, such as an environmental club or a themed hall focused on civic engagement. If such a group does not exist, work with housing administrators and student leaders to develop a group that can represent and communicate with the rest of residents in the same ways that other housing groups operate. 
• Offer recycling program facility tours to students living on-campus. 
• Request to be included in new student orientations in housing areas and take opportunities to do promotional tabling or other educational activities at gatherings during new student week and other programming events.

Recycling Operations in Housing Areas
There are several important factors to consider when establishing recycling collection in housing areas.

Central, Convenient Locations
Locate potential interior and exterior sites that would be convenient for residents to use.  The optimal scenario is to site recycling next to or near trash collection containers. This step minimizes the amount of trash contamination in recycling containers. Additionally, identify areas that are visited frequently by residents and are highly visible. Be creative with collection. Set up collection that is appropriate to what is generated. For example, collect junk mail at mail rooms and set up boxes for unwanted reusable clothing in laundry rooms.

Material Generation
Determine what types of materials residents will be generating based on where students get materials. In residence halls, primarily bottles and cans, newspapers, and both high and low-grade paper are generated. Due to space limitations and a trend towards regular contamination, a collection for white, newspaper, mixed paper, and cardboard (paperboard or corrugated cardboard) is recommended. Having an additional colored paper category invites contamination and becomes a low grade mix anyway. It is less hassle to create a mix category that sorters will know to check for contamination while processing paper that can be upgraded by the recycling program.

Both on and off campus apartments/houses will generate a greater diversity of materials than residence halls because residents are able to prepare meals within their own housing units. Balance material types with space restrictions and capacity needs. In order to provide a broad collection approach, it may be necessary to combine materials to collect them.

Site accessibility

Recycling site accessibility is important to both users and those who will service the sites. Locate recycling collection in areas that are accessible to the users any time of the day. Recycling sites can be overloaded at times and the staff members who are responsible for the upkeep of these sites need to have access to these areas promptly.

As mentioned before, recycling collection should always be located in trash areas. Create waste/recycling stations that are complete. Locating certain materials in separate locations (such as cardboard collection) will reduce the possibility that these materials will be collected for recycling. Convenience, consistency, good signage, and clean, well-maintained areas will maximize recycling and reduce contamination.                                                 

While recycling sites located on residence hall floors may provide the utmost convenience for residents, those sites may be inconvenient for service and may not be approved by the local fire marshal, nor located in proximity to garbage. Review the areas where garbage is currently centralized and work to incorporate recycling systems into existing sites. Set up efficient systems to minimize Campus Recycling Program and University Housing Department labor needs. 

Incorporate collection systems into areas that generate specific types of waste. For example: site a mail collection station at all area desks where students receive mail. Remember to ask yourself: if there is garbage collection, then are there any recoverable materials generated in the area that would require a recycling site?

Some schools have trash rooms; others have trash collection areas outside. Typically, students are required to dump the materials they generate at central locations. The more centralized the collections are, the less the labor costs will be for handling these materials.

In family housing complexes and student housing apartments and houses, establish community waste/recycling areas. Typically these are trash enclosures and are often uncovered. There are many unique types of covered containers and units that are available and suitable for these types of areas.

Site maintenance
Create a system where an employee (ideally a University Housing Department employee) monitors recycling areas. Designate a recycling program employee to go through these sites daily to clean-out contaminants, collect high grade materials, and keep the area clean. Always make sure that signs are properly displayed and aesthetically pleasing. Keep bins clean by creating a maintenance switch out schedule for containers. 

Select areas that allow for easy clean-up. Keeping recycling areas clean and organized serves a greater purpose beyond ease of use. Well-kept sites continue the element of convenience for users and help make the recycling experience a positive one. Identify convenient sites where recycling containers can be taken to be cleaned and where custodial equipment can be used for quick area clean-up.

Servicing Recycling Sites
When planning a recycling collection system, work with the Housing Department to determine how much collection can feasibly be incorporated into existing operations. Ideally, the more custodians and housing personnel assisting in this effort, the less expensive the recycling service will be. Determine whether staff members are available to move recyclables and trash from both on and   off-campus locations. Explore various options for incorporating existing labor into this process as any little bit can help. Present findings to the Housing Department.

With sites monitored, clearly labeled, and easily accessible, recycling crews can quickly swap out barrels instead of emptying barrels into bags or other barrels. Bring materials back to warehouse/processing center to be sifted through as they are processed into marketing containers.   

Of note: Campus residential areas are notorious for creating contamination. Monitoring, good signage, introduction of the practice through new student orientations, and continuous promotion will result in more efficient and effective recycling service.

Container options
When selecting recycling containers consider the following:

• Fire code
• Protection from inclement weather
• Space restrictions and capacity needs
• Site organization
• Serviceability
• Aesthetics
• Ease of recycling

Outdoor areas are often utilized for residence hall recycling collection. If areas are covered, 55 gallon drums are excellent for minimizing cost and maintaining compatibility with the system of swapping out containers for servicing. These also have generous capacity which reduces the need for increased servicing.                    

In other outside uncovered areas, there are plastic barrel lids available at a minimum cost, but these are not ideal. There are many companies that make metal recycling units that enclose plastic 55 gallon containers and are aesthetically pleasing, fire safe, and easy to service and maintain. Inexpensive galvanized garbage cans with lids are available at home supply stores.

Signage
Creating appropriate signage is an important factor in ensuring participation in a recycling effort. Whenever possible, replicate sorting categories and campus signage. A special consideration for residential areas is making signs that are more universally accessible as international students typically live in all varieties of university housing facilities. Creating photographic signs and multilingual promotional information and posters is very helpful in reaching the potentially unique population living in these areas. 

In family housing areas, children are often the ones charged with recycling and garbage disposal. Make signs easily understandable and use visuals to help identify each type of collection.       

At outside areas, corrugated plastic signs made by a sign company are useful, sturdy, and can be a good medium for both operational and educational information. 

Recycling tools
Providing tools to make recycling a convenience for residents is also important to a successful recycling effort. A simple tool (that also acts as a promotional item) is a room or apartment recycling bin. This concept is modeled on curbside recycling bin programs that are successful across the country. Involve residents in choosing recycling bins that would work best for their units.   

Develop a system to integrate in room/house/apartment recycling bins into the room inventory. They are considered part of the room or apartment and if they are missing or damaged at the end of the year, the student is charged. Of course, if there is a mechanism to give these to students outright, this is also an option. 

Ideally, these bins will be a one-time investment and will be maintained through replacement cost systems from inventory control. 

The recycling program can also sell recycling bins to help generate revenue to purchase such containers for all housing areas. 

Move-Ins, Move-Outs and Large Material Generation Opportunities
Students in housing areas generate a copious amount of materials during Fall Move-Ins, Spring Move-Outs and, to a lesser, but still larger than normal extent, before breaks and after term finals. It is important to pay attention to these times, especially move-outs.                                                                                                           

Move-Ins
Cardboard is generated in large quantities during move-in periods. Plan for extra collection areas and servicing, and unexpected piles of cardboard appearing spontaneously. Additional materials such as newspaper, packing peanuts, plastic bags and block styrofoam are also generated during student move-ins. Create a collection plan for the materials that can be recycled. Temporary containers for trash collection set up alongside the cardboard recycling containers helps reduce contamination of the cardboard. Keep in mind during move-ins that these are new students who are not yet focused on how things work in a university setting. Extra promotions and regular monitoring of collection sites during move-ins are recommended.

Move-Outs
Move-outs are an exceptionally busy phase when many students are moving off campus within the same short time frame and are under a time constraint to be moved out by the end of finals week. Imagine having a final on Friday morning and having to be moved out by 5:00 p.m. the same day. Residents are busy and focused on studying for finals and often leave packing until the last minute. With little time to pack and clean their rooms, students can be tempted to throw away anything that they do not want to move with them. This is a crazy time for both students and staff. Plan AHEAD!

• Plan for extra daily pick-ups during move-out week. As the move-out deadline approaches, increase the number of pick-ups to three times per day. Coordinate recycling program staff and make sure to participate in move-out planning meetings organized by the University Housing Department. 
• Though cardboard boxes are a commodity during this period, there is still an increased amount of cardboard generated. Make sure that sites are serviced frequently.
• Set-up extra barrels at all sites.
• Organize a collection site (or series of sites) for reusables, preferably within existing waste/recycling collection areas. Other effective areas for collecting reusables are high-traffic, visible areas such as residence hall lobbies or laundry rooms.
• Housing departments often set up extra dumpsters in areas that may not be near recycling collection sites. Stay in the loop and make every effort to set-up reusable and recycling collection sites next to extra dumpsters.
• Do extensive promotion and start up reusables collection during the two weeks prior to move-out week. This gives students more time to identify and donate reusable items, which in turn reduces the likelihood that these items will end up in the garbage dumpster.
• Distribute move-out information on door hangers and put them on every door in the residence halls and family housing units.
• Designate a crew to keep working until everything is cleaned out and each site has been swept and emptied at least one time through. Many students wait until the last minute so waste disposal areas will fill quickly during the final move-out day. 
• Some schools have been very creative in setting up a place for students to hold a large community yard sale. In family housing areas, this has been effective as people live there year round and population turnover does not occur at the same time as it does on-campus. In residence hall areas, conducting a yard sale in connection with move-outs is more difficult because students often do not want to part with items they want until the end of the school year. 
• Another idea is to work with a non-profit to gather these materials and re-sell them to new students at the beginning of fall term as a fundraiser and waste reduction project.
• Dump and Run is a project that helps colleges with move-outs. See Resources below for a link to the Dump and Run website.
• When students are in a hurry to pack and clean out, it is common for them to combine recyclables and trash into one bag, bound for the garbage. Issue students two or three large color coded and labeled plastic bags for move-outs to assist with this problem: one for garbage, one for paper, and one for bottles/cans. 
• Remember to debrief the process to find strategies for the following year and exchange ideas with other schools.

Move-Outs Beyond the Residence Halls
End of the year move-outs extend beyond the on-campus living areas as students also reside within the local community. Work with community groups such as churches, fraternities and sororities, and the United Way and other non-profits to expand reusable item recovery efforts both at on-campus locations and primarily student residential areas near campus. These efforts can yield opportunities to keep valuable items out of the landfill while creating opportunities to assist agencies and low-income families.  

Reuse Exchange Areas
Set-up a materials exchange area to be accessed throughout the year. If such an exchange can only be initiated during move-outs, it is a great start, but the more material recovered throughout the year, the better. 

Set up collection bins, promote and monitor sites, and work towards improvements over time by incorporating feedback from residents in the area. Containers should be located in high traffic areas or (ideally) within waste/recycling collection areas.          

Laundry rooms are a popular dry space to set-up a reusable material/item collection or exchange. This is especially successful in family housing areas as children grow in and out of clothing and toys faster then these items wear out.                                                               

Funding and Contracting Services
Recycling, like many other campus activities, is a collaborative effort. The Housing Department is considered an auxiliary service by many colleges and thus contracts recycling services through the Campus Recycling Program. As mentioned above, it is important for the Campus Recycling Program to work with the University Housing Department to design a plan that will reduce waste, streamline operations and keep costs affordable.     

Colleges that incorporate recycling into waste management can add recycling more easily into the waste management system contract and fees. Many schools have recycling departments that are separate from waste management, which makes it more difficult to coordinate waste management efforts. Under this scenario, working together with campus waste management departments is critical to creating recycling services that reduce costs and services from waste management. If recycling exists as a separate entity, it can be difficult to convince administrators that recycling is not an extra cost, but rather a program to reduce garbage costs and services. 

When establishing contracted services with the University Housing Department, work with administrators to develop a position or designate an employee to oversee recycling operations, waste reduction, and educational activities in campus residential areas. Make sure to meet with the designated administrator regularly and stay apprised of what is going on in the Housing Department. Stay informed about new trash enclosures being built to ensure that they include sufficient space for recycling collection and continue to attend meetings to discuss move-outs. Establish additional contacts and advocates within the Housing Department (such as custodial staff members), as well as within off-campus organizations, student living groups, and any other allies on campus and in the surrounding community.  

Be sure to plan ahead for future opportunities that may arise to streamline operations. Track all the materials that are collected as this is valuable information for re-negotiating contracts or justifying recycling services. Stay in tune with the population changes in housing areas. If new facilities are being added or there is a record amount of students, the recycling charge will increase. Try not to lock in a set price, but if this is the only option, add a little extra into the budget to account for unforeseen expenses. Consider that these contracted services include labor and administrative costs including tracking and educational activities. 

Education
Education is an important factor in creating an effective, well-utilized collection system in campus housing areas. One of the primary functions of a housing system is to provide residential populations with educational, social, and cultural programs. Recycling and waste reduction fit nicely into this goal. Such programs are put together by housing staff, residence hall leaders, and volunteers. These groups of students can help to incorporate recycling education and promotion into the daily life of residents. Here are some ideas: 

• Enlist the help and experience of resident assistants in developing and promoting educational events. Utilize their leadership in addressing problem areas with their residents. 
• Make contact with staff from many levels of the Housing Department from decision-making administrators to enthusiastic resident assistants. These employees can help recycling program employees to gain an understanding of University Housing's administrative structures and how information flows among the different areas of operation and service.
• Hold regular trainings and staff in-service presentations, including during orientation and once per term refreshers. This is especially important with the kitchen/cafeteria and other food establishment staff.
• Attend residence hall meetings to provide recycling demonstrations, answer questions, and offer games and awards for motivating more students to participate in recycling efforts.
• At the beginning of each school year, give each student an in-room recycling bin, refillable mug, reusable food ware, a recycling program brochure, and a guide to waste reduction in residence hall areas.
• Make a variety of informational and factual table tents for cafeteria tables; change these periodically.
• Do regular promotional tabling with general information. These are best located by cafeterias.
• Make and display posters around housing areas and in cafeterias; focus on simple concepts such as waste reduction and recycling opportunities.
• Get media coverage for promotional events in housing areas.
• Submit information to housing area publications.
• Post charts of recycling recovery in residence halls. Thank residents and staff members for their efforts and let them know that their contributions to recycling make a difference 
• Sponsor regular promotional events such as waste audits and recycling contests.

Resources

Dump & Run
http://www.dumpandrun.org/                                               

University of Michigan
http://www.recycle.umich.edu/grounds/recycle/student_move-out.html 

University of Oregon
http://recycle.uoregon.edu/housing.htm

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