Duke University
OP-18: Waste Diversion

Duke maintains a strong commitment to helping and improving the environment through the Sanitation, Recycling, and Procurement Departments, which work closely together to promote proper waste management and reduction. These units manage solid waste and sustainability efforts at Duke while providing support for university-wide special events and routine preventative maintenance of sanitation and recycling equipment. Sanitation and Recycling also manage a composting operation to turn landscaping material into useable top soil. Taking care of the environment is an important role of Facilities Management. Through Duke Recycles, Duke traditional recyclables like magazines or aluminum from the Durham landfill every year, including many non-traditional recyclables, such as food compost, motor oil and tires. Duke Recycles collects more than 1,500 bins that contain anything from paper to glass to packing peanuts. Since 1989, Duke Recycles has offered numerous services to help create a more sustainable campus by emphasizing student and faculty and staff participation. Recycling locations can be found outside many residence halls, in Central Campus laundry areas and in university common areas. Students also have a small bucket in their rooms to collect items to carry to the nearest drop-off location. The Duke Surplus Property Program helps to divert tons of unnecessary waste from the landfill every year. All Duke-purchased property including furniture, electronics, medical equipment and supplies are collected daily and staged for donation to local non-profits and Duke Departments. Data-containing electronic items are wiped to meet Department of Defense standards, and are then primarily donated to our local school system as well as other non-profits. This donation-only business model helps to eliminate unnecessary purchases and the resources required to sell surplus property. This “no-sell” model began in 2007.

Duke is currently developing standardized tracking mechanisms for all recycling, compost, diversion, reuse, donated or re-sold materials on campus. At the time of this submission these numbers have not be finalized. The tonnages above reflect recycling (internal and contracted) as well as compost.