University of British Columbia
OP-22: Waste Minimization

UBC’s waste baseline was chosen based on data quality and availability.

In 2010/11, UBC conducted a waste audit to assess waste disposal practices and waste composition at the Vancouver campus. Based on the audit results, the majority of UBC’s operational garbage is recyclable, with the predominant materials being food scraps, paper and plastic.

As part of the development of UBC’s Zero Waste Action Plan, a series of pilot projects including waste audits were conducted to help develop a comprehensive strategy for updating the recycling and composting infrastructure on campus. For example, in 2013 four stream recycling stations were introduced into two of the major libraries on campus, Walter C. Koerner Library and the Irving K. Barber Learning Centre. At Koerner library, after replacing a large number of solo garbage cans with fewer, centralized multi-stream recycling stations, overall waste diversion increased from 18% to about 48%. A follow-up pilot in the Geography building then demonstrated an increase in diversion from 35% to 61% though updates to infrastructure and signage.

A student-led “public” waste audit was also conducted to measure waste composition from the Student Union Building, and illustrate the composition of waste to campus users.

An audit of incoming organic waste at the UBC composting facility was conducted in order to better understand organic waste composition and contamination rates for four different types of facilities generating waste.

Finally, informal composition audits and detailed weight measurements (including diversion rate calculations) were made in two large student residences as part of pilot projects to increase composting and waste diversion in student housing.

UBC Payment and Procurement Services, UBC Food Services, the UBC Bookstore and the Alma Mater Society (AMS) are encouraging vendors to align with UBC’s sustainability objectives. This includes asking vendors to think of creative ways to ship to us, to reuse or recycle packaging, and to plan for leftover materials. UBC Student Housing and Hospitality (including Food Services) continues to work with vendors to maximize the use of reusable packaging and encourage take-back programs. The AMS is in the process of hiring a new Purchasing Manager and plans to review all existing supplier arrangements/agreements and further find opportunities for more sustainable procurement of all goods and materials.

In 2013, a sustainability planning process was undertaken with major operational departments on campus, including UBC Building Operations, Student Housing and Hospitality Services, UBC Information Technology and Payment and Procurement Services. Waste reduction and diversion goals, actions, and metrics were identified and included in the development of department-level sustainability frameworks.

Reuse-it UBC (http://www.reuseitubc.ca/) is a virtual online warehouse designed to assist UBC employees to find and exchange low-value items of $1,000 or less between departments (e.g. furniture, audio-visual equipment, office supplies, etc. In 2013-14, there were 61 successful transfers conducted through Reuse-it UBC.

A working group is currently re-forming to look at how to promote and augment Reuse-it UBC, with the goal of dramatically increasing reuse of this type of equipment. As a step in this process, in Spring 2014, a major “garage sale” was planned to reuse office equipment and furniture in the General Services and Administration Building (GSAB), which is closing for redevelopment. The sale was conducted in Summer 2014 and was highly successful, diverting an estimated 38 tons from the landfill (following the 13-14 fiscal reporting year).

As of 2010, UBC discontinued printing annual copies of the UBC Directory. Dependence on the printed version of the UBC Directory has greatly declined, in-line with the increased use of the online version of the directory which is more up-to-date and more accessible. A mobile version of the Directory is now available as well.

The Vancouver Academic Calendar is a comprehensive guide to all programs, courses, services, and academic policies at UBC and serves as a record of many University academic policies and procedures. The online Calendar is the official Calendar and changes are incorporated online at intervals throughout the year.

In 2014, the AMS discontinued the print version of the AMS Agenda (student daytimer/calendar). All AMS and related campus resources are now available via AMS App.

A UBC photocopy/printing card is required for self-service copying and printing at UBC Library print stations. All UBC Library branches have printers and photocopiers with double-sided capabilities. http://services.library.ubc.ca/computers-technology/copy-print-scan/

UBC’s Sustainability Coordinator Toolkit provides resources to staff on reducing paper usage in departments: http://sustain.ubc.ca/get-involved/staff/sustainability-coordinators/toolkit/paper-reduction

The Mindful Move Out program (http://vancouver.housing.ubc.ca/residence-life/moving-out/) takes place annually in April. Collaboration exists within Student Housing and Hospitality Services between Residence Life and Building Services operations to ensure that communication, marketing and implementation of the program are aligned. The aim is to reduce the volume of waste that reaches the landfill during residence move out by a) creating awareness for students to recycle their unwanted goods and b) making reducing unwanted goods as easy as possible and increasing student participation.

Collection bins are placed in each residence area to collect the following items: Batteries (ongoing), recycling (ongoing), electronic waste, clothing, bedding, household goods, soaps, shampoos, detergent, canned food goods, bikes, and books.

A campus-wide reuse program for reuse of unwanted goods such as furniture continues to be developed. Reuse-it UBC (http://www.reuseitubc.ca/) continues to be available for the sale/donation of goods for reuse.

A food waste audit was conducted at the UBC In-Vessel Composting Facility to identify the types and sources of non-organic contaminants in the food waste stream. Results indicated a range of contamination rates to be addressed, primarily through food services staff training and engagement.

UBC Food Services invests in trained and certified chefs which has a direct impact on quality and waste reduction. Currently in our staff are 11 certified chefs who oversee a culinary portfolio of over 100 who are talented and trained to re-purpose food prep waste into other salable items – like stews or soups. In addition we have a computer inventory management system that tracks waste and spoilage and our food units are measured on it. Budget targets are set each year and units do monthly inventory and track against the targets set.

UBC Food Services' meal plan is a la carte, which enables students to select items and pay for them individually. This type of plan does not incur the same amount of food waste as students pay for what they are consuming and tend to be more conscious of what they are eating versus throwing away.

UBC Food Services single-use containers are either compostable fibre, or recyclable plastic. The majority of food containers are compostable fibre, while some items like lids for compostable soup bowls and cutlery are recyclable plastics. UBC Food services sources compostable products in accordance with ASTM standards D6400 or D6868, BPI, and/or Vincotte OK biobased certification. Compostable containers that are covered through UBC’s Sort It Out program are composted along with food waste at UBC’s In Vessel compost facility.

In order to encourage the use of alternatives to take-out containers and plastic cutlery, UBC Food Services distributes a reusable container to each resident at Totem and Place Vanier Residence. Students can take advantage of the 15 cent discount for using reusable containers, and avoid the 35 cent charge for the purchase of a disposable container; this works out to a 50 cent saving at each use. UBC Food Services also operates a program called “Eco-to-Go” that encourages reusable containers for meals on the run. http://www.food.ubc.ca/responsibility/

AMS continues to use only 3rd party certified bio-degradable/compostable containers, and hot drink cups and recyclable cutlery and cold drink cups. Although the AMS has offered personal container discounts for many years, the AMS does not offer the exchange program that Food Services has implemented in their dining halls. There are a broad range of sustainable initiatives, as it relates to take-out ware, that the AMS plans on implementing in the new Student Union Building which opens spring of 2015. AMS has been participating in the container exchange program at select outlets since May 1st 2014 always with the intent to launch the program across all outlets once transitioned to the new SUB.

All UBC Food Services in-house residence dining halls have reusable service ware for dine in meals, including plates, bowls, cups and cutlery. UBC Food Services also operates a program called “Eco-to-Go” that encourages reusable containers for meals on the run. http://www.food.ubc.ca/responsibility/

At UBC Food Services, all units offer a 15 cent discount to customers who use their own mug or food container. http://www.food.ubc.ca/responsibility/

At most AMS outlets, a 25 cent discount is offered to customers who use their own mug or container. While an average of 1% of all transaction in AMS quick serve outlets is a personal container, Blue Chip Cookies realizes an average of 24% of all hot beverages purchased with travel mug.

Building on our waste reduction and diversion achievements to date, in 2014 UBC completed a comprehensive Zero Waste Action Plan, which includes goals, targets, and key actions that will be a major step towards transforming UBC into a zero waste community. The plan will be implemented over the next three to five years and will also help us meet or exceed what is required by regional waste management regulations, policies and programs, including the 2015 Metro Vancouver organics disposal ban. http://sustain.ubc.ca/campus-initiatives/recycling-waste/what-ubc-doing/waste-action-plan.