Thanks to a series of measures introduced last year, HSU’s per capita disposal rate for 2,304 employees was 1.56 pounds per day, versus the state’s recommended 10.7 pounds.
Likewise, the University’s per capita disposal rate for non-employees (8,622 students) was .42 pounds per day, versus the state goal of 1.9 pounds.
“We are noticeably lower than the state targets and we’re also lower than in 2011,” says Traci Ferdolage, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management.
Humboldt State shifted last year from a dual stream to single stream recycling, making collection more convenient for the campus community. Single stream recycling deploys receptacles for mixed fibers as well as bottles, cans and plastic containers #1-7.
At the same time, HSU was awarded a Beverage Containers grant from CalRecycle to install more recycling bins and signage and launch a social marketing campaign to bolster recycling rates.
Also in 2012, the campus expanded its ongoing food-waste diversion program, collecting food-waste and food-soiled paper from the dining areas and campus compost bins for diversion to a commercial composting facility.
Campus Recycling continues to partner with Housing & Dining Services, the Waste Reduction & Resource Awareness Program and other student groups, carrying out year-long education and outreach campaigns to augment participation in composting and recycling.
Campus Recycling, an arm of the Office of Sustainability under Facilities Management, collects scrap metal, e-waste, inkjet cartridges, hardbound books, appliances, surplus equipment and furniture, carpet, mixed rigid plastics and other hard-to-recycle items. Also collected are tires and used oil and oil filters.