Page 6 - Sustainability Plan

COMPOSTING & RECYCLING
Our custodial staff are proud of their established track record in green cleaning
and recycling.
— Darren Gardham, Supervisor, Custodial/Housekeeping Services
In the interest of environmental responsibility and in being a good neighbour, we continue to explore ways to lower our impact on the local community.
Royal Roads has been in partnership with reFUSE Resource Recovery since 2002, and together we have diverted over 400 tonnes of kitchen-based compost from land ll. At the same time, all organic garden waste generated through grounds maintenance of our National Historic site is composted on site.
Waste diversion is a growing priority for the university. Royal Roads’ current waste diversion rate is 63 per cent. When we reach our target of 80 per cent diversion,
we will save $7,000 annually on waste disposal.1
Based on the recommendations provided from applied learning projects by Bachelor of Science
in Environmental Science and Bachelor of Business Administration in Sustainability and International Business students, the university has invested in new Royal Roads branded compost and recycling sorting stations that are instantly recognizable and easier to use.
In doing so, an introduction to waste diversion
and our new sorting stations is now a prominent component of orientation programs for all students, staff and faculty. By continuing to educate our community on the importance of waste diversion, we will establish correct composting and recycling sorting as a cultural norm here on campus.
1The Palindrome Group (2013). RRU 2013 Waste Audit, Bachelor of Science in Environmental Science major project study.
Plastic 3%
Mixed Paper 22%
Misc 1%
Waste 36%
Breakdown (%) of waste streams at RRU
Compost 38%
Waste 17%
Improperly sorted compost 19%
Indicator: Waste diversion Target: an 80% diversion rate
Amount of organics composted (t) and associated GHG emissions avoided (t CO2 e)
60 50 40
32tCO2 e 30
22t 20
10
51tCO2 e 35t
GHG avoided
Tonnes of organics
2009
2013
Indicator: Compost diverted from land ll Target: a 20% increase in composting
OUTCOME
Solid waste disposal is recognized as a major source of methane and nitrous oxide gas emissions, both of which are considered dangerous GHG gases. Many of these emissions result from the decomposition of organic materials within a land ll. Diverting organic waste from the land ll offers Royal Roads an opportunity to reduce its environmental footprint.
Sustainability Plan 5