The end of November marked the public kick-off of SingleStream recycling at Harvard Medical School (HMS)! HMS recycles less than half its trash, 46 percent last year compared to 55 percent on Harvard's Cambridge campus. Per ton, recycling costs only half the disposal fees of trash, and in a better economy, it saves even more money. This means that it saves the HMS community money when people recycle something instead of throwing it into the trash.
In an effort to increase recycling rates and decrease waste hauls, HMS and the Harvard School of Dental Medicine (HSDM) have converted their recycling collection processes so that all of the paper and cardboard recycling can be collected in the same container as the comingled glass, plastic, and aluminum can recyclables. This simplifies the process for both the individual recycler, as well as for the custodians who collect the trash and recycling and have been trained in the new collection process. Since HMS hopes to increase recycling rates, it is important to ensure that everyone is recycling correctly, instead of contaminating the recycling with things like food, liquids, napkins, plastic bags, or tissues (all items that need to go into the trash instead).
As a means of promoting recycling, the HMS Recycling Operations group purchased new recycling and trash stations for Courtyard, Elements, and Atrium cafés. HMS also reached out to department administrators and offered individual desk-side recycling bins free of charge, as well as the opportunity to swap out full-sized trash cans for smaller sidecar trash containers that hang on the side of the desk-side recycling bin. These smaller trash containers decrease the amount of waste produced, both by individuals and from the plastic bags that it takes to line the trash containers.
In an effort to increase awareness about SingleStream recycling, HMS Recycling Operations partnered with Harvard’s Office for Sustainability (OFS) in order to create and distribute outreach materials about the new recycling protocol. The December Green Tip focused on SingleStream recycling, and the HMS Focus recently wrote a story revealing the truth about trash. New trash and recycling signs and stickers were posted near all common recycling areas, and additional pictorials are available for individuals and departments to use as necessary. When in doubt, associate the color blue with recycling, and look for the blue recycling bins with the new SingleStream lids (the tops are shaped like Saturn). Just don't mistakenly place your trash in the recycling bin or you may receive an "Oops!" reminder on your desk the next morning!
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It saves the HMS community money when people recycle something instead of throwing it into the trash.