RECYCLING PROGRAM B A I L E Y K I N S O L V I N G & M E A G A - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

UC IRVINE STYROFOAM RECYCLING PROGRAM B A I L E Y K I N S O L V I N G & M E A G A N B R O W N I N G UCI FACILITIES MANAGEMENT SUSTAINABILITY TEAM

ZERO WASTE AT UCI Zero Waste: “Meet or exceed 95% diversion of municipal solid waste.”  UCOP Goal of Zero Waste by 2020 UC Irvine: • Highest diversion rate in UC system  83% (‘14 - ’15) • Recognized as Sierra Magazine’s “#1 Cool School” for two years in a row Diversion from landfills:  Recycling  Composting  Reusing/donating

WHY STYROFOAM ?  Expanded polystyrene (EPS) is an ideal material because it is convenient + cheap o Packaging o Single-use serve ware  However, due to its chemical makeup, cannot be easily recycled or safely incinerated  Development of EPS alternatives underway (Myco Foam), but for now Styrofoam remains material of choice

STYROFOAM USE AT UCI Prior to 2016: Now:  Currently working with various  Campus currently has no policies campus departments to eliminate against single-use Styrofoam use of Styrofoam consumer products products  UCIBuy catalog defaulted search  UCIBuy now sequences ‘eco - to cheapest product  Styrofoam friendly’ (compostable) options first  No existing recycling program for rather than Styrofoam Styrofoam material  Large packaging Styrofoam is now recycled & repurposed into surfboard foam cores

STYROFOAM RECYCLING PILOT PROGRAM  In an effort to uphold the UCI 1. Building users collect Styrofoam in “Coolest School” recognition: designated location within building  Styrofoam recycling 2. Custodial staff brings bagged  UCI FM has partnered with local Styrofoam to loading dock company, Marko Foam , to 3. Student workers collect bagged recycle/repurpose Styrofoam into Styrofoam weekly and transport it to a foam cores of surfboards 40-yard collection bin 4. UCI self hauls 40 yard bin to Marko Foam around the corner bi-weekly

STYROFOAM DROP OFF LOCATIONS • 10 drop off locations with highest influx of Styrofoam material • Research labs • Medical campus • In some instances, one bin for two locations

STYROFOAM COLLECTION After 3 weeks of collection, we had filled an entire 40-yard bin (right)

MARKO FOAM & WASTE TO WAVES

TROUBLESHOOTING 1. Cardboard  heavy duty plastic ULINE bins 2. Education component a. Sort & strip b. Signage 3. Scheduled drop-offs to accommodate high volume 4. Capacity of student run program

STYROFOAM RECYCLING SIGNAGE Yes:  Clean, white #6 EPS foam NO: X Packing tape X Packing peanuts X Labels X Foam Inserts X Foam Insulation X Cups, plates X Cool packs X Cardboard

OUTCOME & BENEFITS • Since start in Nov. 2015, • Relatively closed loop over 280 cubic yards of system Styrofoam collected, • Creative repurposing of an equivalent to: otherwise undesirable • 8 train cars material • 4,200 pounds • Less voluminous material in • On average, ~40 cubic landfill yards collected per month from 10 locations

Several options: 1. Find a hauler who will accept REPLICATE your material or investigate local companies comparable ON YOUR to Marko Foam CAMPUS: 2. Invest in a Styrofoam densifier a. Sell back densified material to packing supply stores

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!  Comments & questions ?  Learn more: :UCI Facilities Management :UCI Recycles  Contact us: ucirecycles@uci.edu