Waste Management
Carleton is committed to operating an efficient campus that promotes reduction and reuse and maximizes the amount of waste diverted from landfill. As outlined in our Sustainability Strategic Plan we are committed to increasing the amount of waste diverted to landfill to 60% by 2015. Carleton’s extensive waste reduction and recycling program of initiatives include duel stream recycling, construction and demolition waste diversion, donation stations, special waste and electronic waste collection depots and composting.
Our progress
In 2014, for the second successive year, Carleton diverted from landfill 61% of its waste. The university collecting over 2,300 metric tonnes of waste (non-hazardous). Of this 918 tonnes was sent to landfill and 1417 tones was recycled, which included mixed paper recycling (578 mt), Plastics, Metal and Glass (320 mt), Wood (20 mt) and Organic compost waste (213 mt).
In addition to general waste and recycling, 700kg of printer cartridges and toners and 35kg of batteries were recycled through our special waste depots located around campus. Carleton also recycled over 19,000kg of electronic waste and over 5 metric tonnes of recyclable products through a designated student move out program.
To better understand our waste streams and collections, Carleton is also conducting campus and building level audits to evaluate contamination rates and opportunities for improvements. Carleton is also focusing on maximizing waste diversion and recycling from constriction and renovations projects ensuring all such projects evaluate recycling efforts prior and after construction.
Recycling and Waste at Carleton
In 2015, Carleton partnered with Waste Management to further develop waste programs and make recycling easier by adopting a wider range of recycling opportunities. This means that more products are now recyclable and that improved signage will help to increase the amount we divert from landfill through better stream selection.
What can be recycled in general waste bins?
| Paper | Recyclable Materials | ||
| Paper Items and Cardboard | Glass Jars and Bottles | Plastics | Metals Cans and Foil |
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What can be recycled in Electrobac waste bins?
Carleton has partnered with Electrobac to provide small electronic waste and ink cartridge recycling on the campus. These waste bins are located at:
- Athletics Centre – opposite Tim Hortons
- University Centre – adjacent to entrance to Roosters
- Residence Commons – 2nd floor
These bins accept the following items:
- Chargers and cables
- Peripherals – memory cards etc
- Small electronics – cell phones, chargers etc
- Ink cartridges
- Other small electronics
- NOT ACCEPTED – Batteries, Light bulbs, VHS, Cassettes
What can be done with other Special Waste?
As part of ongoing commitment to waste reduction and recycling, you may also send through internal mail, batteries and toner cartridges to: Sustainability @ Stores, Maintenance Building, Facilities Management and Planning.
Where does other/larger electronic waste go?
Contact CCS Hardware Services to arrange for e-waste recycling. Through the Ontario Electronics Stewardship (OES) program electronics are collected, recycled and/or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.
Throughout the year the City of Ottawa also holds one-day Household Hazardous Waste depots, where you can take your hazardous household wastes and electronics for safe and responsible disposal.
How can you… reduce waste?
Donate unwanted items
Donating unwanted goods reduces the amount of material put into landfills and helps give others more opportunities. On the other hand, buying used goods reduces the amount of new materials needed to create similar items, and the goods tend to be much cheaper than their new counterparts. Shopping smart can save resources and a lot of money!
What can you do?
- Students during move-out can donate gently-used items like clothes, shoes, and small furniture items through the Residence Halls
- Check out the CU Bookstore for used textbooks and sell back your books once you finish a class
Start a scrap paper bin
The average Canadian uses one, 100-foot-tall Douglas fir tree worth of paper and wood products each year, so help bring that number down by reusing scrap paper. Remember, reuse then recycle.
What can you do?
- Set aside a box or in tray for scrap/used paper which can then be used for notes, phone messages, minutes etc.
Limit your use of paper towels or tissues
Why use a disposable product that takes energy and resources to produce and creates waste when a reusable towel will do the same job? For example, instead of buying a box of facial tissues purchase a set of handkerchiefs.
Responsibly recycle electronic waste and other hazardous waste
You can recycle your old cartridges and batteries at numerous locations at Carleton; follow this link for the locations.
Contact CCS Hardware Services to arrange for e-waste recycling. Through the Ontario Electronics Stewardship (OES) program electronics are collected, recycled and/or disposed of in an environmentally responsible way.
Throughout the year the City of Ottawa also holds one-day Household Hazardous Waste depots, where you can take your hazardous household wastes and electronics for safe and responsible disposal.
Use your own thermos for hot drinks
If you’re dining in, choose a reusable option. Bring reusable containers with you to work, study breaks, meetings, or anywhere else where there’s only disposable dishware.
Carleton’s Lug-a-Mug program saves you between $0.10 -$0.25 off each hot drink, depending on outlet on campus.
What you can do?
- Carry a reusable mug with you
Avoid printing and print double-sided when possible
Reducing printing generally reduces the use of paper, energy and money. Be sure to share copies of printouts if you can especially longer documents.
Electronic alternatives to printing are available, but remember that electronic working also has some impact, particularly the embodied energy of multiple computers or laptops.
Reducing your use of paper is often the easiest way to cut the impact of your printing. Use Print Preview before printing, to check the document looks how you want it. Use duplex (double-sided) printing. This can normally be permanently set in the printer settings in your computer.
What can you do?
- Set up double sided printing as the default option on your printing.
- Organize and save your documents in your shared drive.
- If you share your files with other people or departments, use online software options, like Dropbox.
Recycle everything you can
Carleton offers a three stream recycling system: Mixed Paper and Plastic, Metal and Glass recycling and General Waste.
Organic Waste is also collected from all back of house Dining Services operations and within some residence shared kitchens.
Remove myself from junk mail and catalogue lists
Even if you recycle all of your junk mail, reducing that junk mail to begin with will have a far greater impact on the unnecessary use of our natural resources.
Avoid purchasing disposable items
By bringing your food in reusable containers and using reusable mugs and bottles, it is possible to decrease the amount of plastic and paper waste caused by food. Set the example for friends and family by bringing you own beverage container and avoiding disposables.
What can you do?
- Keep a varied collection of containers so that a variety of foods can be transported.
Switch to paper-free (online) billing
It’s been estimated that the average household can save 24-square feet of forest — about two trees, left to grow for 10 years — in the first year of using paperless billing.
What can you do?
- Review all your bills and see if the company offer online, paper free billing, if so sign up!
Take the Sustainability Pledge and commit personally to a more sustainable University.
Waste Management News