Making the switch

Dalhousie’s latest initiative in improving its environmental footprint will make its way to Studley and Carelton campuses this fall.

Waste bins standards have already been implemented on the Sexton and Agricultural Campuses over the past several months (and was covered last fall on Dal News). Early feedback from the campuses suggests positive results from the switch, and more detailed post-change audits are planned to be conducted in the new year. 

The next phase of the “Big Switch,” as Dal’s Office of Sustainability calls it, will happen over the fall reading week (November 7-10), with Dal’s two remaining campuses. Single-use bins will be removed from offices and classrooms and replaced with four-bin sorting systems — for paper, recyclables, organics and garbage — in hallways, atriums and public spaces. Offices will also receive bins with recycling and waste compartments with nearby organics bins for composting.

To support this joint initiative with Facilities Management, the Office of Sustainability has also launched a new webpage on waste education, providing tips, information and a knowledge-testing quiz with the chance to win prizes.

While changing waste management practices for one school may not sound like a big deal, the move will have significant impact. On average, Dalhousie – including all campuses – produces 600 tonnes of waste annually.

Learn more: dal.ca/waste-education

Improving waste contamination

Dalhousie currently has a waste contamination rate of 40 to 70 per cent, the stats differing based on factors such as campus location, time of day and time of year when the sampling occurs.

Waste contamination happens when types of waste end up in the wrong place — for example, paper in landfills or garbage in compost piles. Layne says the new sorting system will improve this rate and support the university's goal of diverting 70 per cent of its waste from landfills by 2020, in part by making it clearer about which waste goes in what bin.

"People think it takes a lot of time,” says Layne. “It really doesn't... it's just the belief that sorting is a waste of time, or sorting takes too long, so it's just easier to throw everything in one place. But we timed it: it takes six seconds to sort 10 things, and you're good."

Another factor that can impact waste reduction rates is the wide difference in recycling standards between countries and Canadian provinces, territories and even municipalities. Many students arrive at Dalhousie with varying levels of understanding around waste and recycling practices.

"I definitely think it's because it's different based on where you're from," agrees Layne, who is originally from Barbados.   

Supporting education

To assist with this knowledge gap, Dal is implementing more signage at its the waste sorting stations — including multilingual signs, which will appear in major areas around campus.

"What we really want to do is to make it as easy as possible for people to research it," says Layne. "There's kind of this preconceived notion that if you're in doubt, you throw it out. But we want you to be, like, if you're in doubt, search it and put it in the right place."