Trash will become treasure for employees working in various campus buildings as they once again battle to lead the university in recycling and waste reduction in the 10th annual RecycleMania Battle of the Buildings Competition, Feb. 7-April 2.

For eight weeks, the Waste Reduction and Recycling Office, a part of Plant Building and Grounds Services, will track recycling and trash levels on a weekly basis for participating buildings.

The competition challenges workers in campus buildings to beat their 2015 recycling and waste reduction totals, and awards performance in four areas: most-improved recycling rate; largest waste reduction rate; highest recycling rate; and building engagement, a new category being piloted this year.

The engagement competition category recognizes building occupants for their waste and recycling outreach efforts. Participants can complete a variety of waste-related activities, ranging from taking a recycling pledge to organizing a materials recovery facility tour, and earn points for their building.

“The engagement competition category will give participants the opportunity to take on new waste-reducing behaviors and encourage others in their building to do so as well,” says Alison Richardson, recycling coordinator with the Waste Reduction and Recycling Office.

Simultaneously to the campus building competition, the university also will compete with hundreds of colleges and universities in the national RecycleMania 2016. This marks the 11th year the university has participated in the competition.

U-M will compete in:

• Largest collection of total recyclables.

• Largest amount of recyclables per capita.

• Least amount of waste per capita.

• Highest recycling rate during the competition.

Faculty, staff and students are encouraged to use the available recycling bins on campus and be mindful of the amount of waste they generate.

Last year’s competitions resulted in the university collecting 826,060 pounds of recyclables, equal to avoiding approximately 1,150 metric tons of carbon dioxide emissions, or removing 243 vehicles from the roads, according to calculations provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency.

The top three 2015 winners in the recycling rate competition were: Fleming Administration Building, 62.5 percent; Health Management Research Center, 61.3 percent; and Institute for Social Research, 61.3 percent.

The university’s average recycle rate on campus, excluding the U-M Health System, was 32.2 percent last year.

The Perry Building won most-improved recycling rate, up 87.1 percent from the previous year. U-M Transportation Research Institute won the waste-reduction category, reducing its total waste by 42.6 percent since the previous year.

In the nationwide competition, the university finished with a 35.2 percent recycling rate, placing sixth in the Big Ten and 100th among the 394 participating schools.

Participation in both competitions supports the university’s broader commitment to sustainability, known as Planet Blue.

Tags:

• Planet Blue
• RecycleMania