Receptacle Standard

Purpose of the new Receptacle Standards

The University aims to increase the capture and diversion of waste produced on campus by developing the waste management program on campus - offering greater opportunities to divert recyclable and compostable materials, increasing awareness and promoting behaviour change that reduces the creation of waste and making it easier to recycle and compost by providing infrastructure that makes waste sorting convenient.

The Receptacle Standard creates a consistent and convenient waste management system across campus aimed at facilitating proper sorting of waste by students, staff and faculty. Our goal is that multi-stream receptacles with standardized signage and liners will replace single stream receptacles currently found in many areas across campus by Dec 2024. Receptacles will be positioned throughout interior and exterior locations of all campuses.

Receptacle Standards are as follows:

Public Spaces

• Single stream receptacles in public spaces will be replaced by a multistream Clean River receptacles or the alternate Plant Operations approved multistream station suitable for use in smaller /narrower areas.
• In conjunction with space occupants Plant Operations will decide placement and stream type for each individual multistream receptacle.
• In all areas Plant Operations has authority on which multistream receptacle/ station will be employed. Only approved models can be selected.
• Orders for multistream receptacles will be placed through Plant Operations
• New builds /renovations: In no circumstance will waste receptacles be built into millwork.
• To facilitate sorting streams will be placed, left to right, in the following order Garbage; Organics; Recycling; Paper
• Clean River cardboard/ pizza receptacles will be placed in each building in the main thoroughfare(s)
• Organics streams for compostable waste will be restricted to specific areas with high potential for organics retention, such as food service areas, lunchrooms and library entrances.
• Multistream receptacles in cafeterias and food service areas will have an organics stream
• Plant Operations will work collaboratively with individual departments or faculties wishing to purchase receptacles; this will ensure that correctly sized units and stream types are selected, and that placement does not impede access/ codes etc. The first step for any department wishing to purchase a receptacle is to submit a work request.

Kitchenettes & Lunchrooms

• Organics stream will be available in official lunch rooms
• Kitchenettes/ lunchrooms, depending on size, are outfitted with a countertop organics waste bin; a curbside organics waste bin or a Clean River multistream receptacle which includes an organics stream
• Waste receptacles in kitchenettes/ lunchrooms, depending on size are outfitted with a either a multistream Clean River receptacles or the alternate Plant Operations approved multistream station

Offices

• Personal garbage bins are being phased out. The university is in process of phasing out bagged garbage bins and transitioning to the use of a blue recycling bin with a black bagless saddle tote. Additional green office points are earned when this is implemented. Please note- Vertical installation of multi stream Clean River receptacles must be complete before roll out of  new office standard (See the Waste Reduction Road Map for more information)   
• In large, shared office spaces either a Clean River receptacle or the alternate Plant Operations approved multistream station will be employed. Receptacles may have the following streams  - Garbage; Recycling; Paper. No organics stream is permitted.
• In private offices occupants are encouraged to have at least one small blue recycle tote with black saddle tote. The blue recycle tote is to be used for the main type of recyclable waste  produced in that office (either paper waste or  container waste) . Where there is adequate space the office occupant may choose to have 2 blue recycle totes and the black saddle tote. The black saddle tote is used for garbage produced in the office one blue tote can be used for paper (incl. coffee cups) the other for recyclable containers.

     Outdoor areas

• Approved Clean River multistream receptacles will be utilized across all areas of campus including Housing, satellite campuses and in UW affiliated University Colleges.

• Receptacle streams will be, from left to right, Garbage, Recycling, Paper
• Placement of receptacles will be done in conjunction with Grounds. Receptacles will be placed on a solid built surface and fixed in place.
   

Waste Receptacle Bag Standards are as follows:

• Bag type used for indoor and outdoor waste streams will be consistent across campus 
• All garbage streams will utilize black bags except for the saddle tote used in offices.
• All recycling and paper  streams will utilize clear bags to assist custodial and other staff in determining the level of contamination so that heavily contaminated bags can be treated as garbage.
• All organics bins will be lined with a certified compostable bag /liner.
• Double bagging will not be employed except with the permission of the AD Environmental Services

Waste Receptacle Signage Standards are as follows:

• Waste signage will be the sole responsibility of Plant Operations and will be standardized across campus with minimal exceptions.
• Signs are to be designed with a consistent look that adheres to the waste management brand “Shift Zero”.
• Requests for customized signage will be considered. Submit requests through the work request system.
• Where waste units are built into millwork, until such time that the unit can be replaced with the approved standard receptacle, the signage will be updated with current standard. Where no signage is present, signage will be applied.

Purchasing new receptacles

Prior to purchase approval from Plant Operations Environmental Services must be requested. Once received receptacles must be ordered through Plant Operations via the Work Request System. In the Description of Work box indicate “Attention: Angelo Chaves”.

Plant Operations will install all receptacles purchased and remove old units. All efforts will be made to reuse or recycle older units.

Ownership of bins

To support goals outlined in the 2017 Environmental Sustainability Strategy all bins/ receptacles that are replaced, including those serviced by other parties, must adhere to the receptacle standard. Monetary ownership of the bins does not exclude departments, faculties or any other campus operations from abiding by the Receptacle Standard.