 Section: 530-10 Effective: 03/20/1997 Supersedes: Next Review Date: Issuance Date: 03/20/1997 Issuing Office: Facilities Management Services UCSD Waste Prevention and Recycling Policy |
UCSD Policy and Procedure Manual (PPM) 520-4 Use of Disposable Polystyrene Products This policy applies to all facilities under the jurisdiction of UCSD, including the La Jolla campus, the UCSD Medical Centers, Hillcrest, Mt. Soledad, Nimitz Marine and the Elliott Field Station. This policy applies to office practices and purchases made both through the Purchasing office and by individual departments. UCSD recognizes its role as a leader in the community with regard to environmental policies and, with the adoption of this policy, demonstrates its intention to ensure responsible stewardship of the environmental resources under its influence. More specifically, the purpose of this policy is to set forth standards and organizational processes aimed at: 1) reducing waste at the source; 2) encouraging the purchase and use of durable and reusable products; 3) encouraging the purchase of high post-consumer content recycled products; 4) increasing the total volume of waste materials diverted from landfills to recycling processes; 5) ensuring the long term viability of campus recycling operations through appropriate educational programs, coordination, management and oversight; and 6) remaining in compliance with Federal and state mandates. The following practices shall be implemented and maintained throughout all UCSD operations.
Whenever possible, UCSD and external contractors will reduce the use of nonrecyclable materials and products, and promote the use of durable and reusable products, i.e., manilla envelopes, reusable plastic or ceramic mugs instead of disposable cups, canvas sheeting instead of plastic garbage bags for landscape wastes, recycling reusable silverware/dinnerware instead of using disposable items. Employees will reuse office paper whenever practical. Office papers shall be recycled. All departments shall encourage two-sided copying. Whenever practical, scrap paper printed only on one side shall be used for producing rough drafts. Paper printed only on one side shall also be used as scratch paper. All proposals and reports received from outside vendors and consultants should be printed on both sides using recycled content paper that meets standards established in IV. B. below. Furthermore, the documents shall be clearly marked to indicate that they are printed on recycled content paper. Letters, reports and documents produced by campus administrative departments should be printed on both sides using recycled paper that meets the standards established in IV.B. below. To the extent possible, academic activities shall also be encouraged to meet these standards. All forms used on the campus should include only the necessary information and number of copies. Instruction sheets, if necessary, shall be printed on the back of the last page of the form. Whenever possible, forms should be filled out and processed electronically. Vendors from which the University purchases products will be required to utilize minimal and reusable packaging materials as deemed in products specifications. If no local market for packaging materials exists, Vendors may be required to take back their packaging at their expense. Whenever feasible, electronic correspondence shall replace written correspondence. Unnecessary printed copies of electronic correspondence are discouraged. The producers of all campus newsletters are encouraged to use electronic bulletin boards for distribution, and to only provide one printed copy of the newsletter to each department. Printed copies should be routed or posted for interested parties to read. Annually, staff shall review mailing lists and delete out of date subscribers. All phone books shall be distributed to students only once per calendar year. UCSD shall, at a minimum, conform with the federal purchasing guidelines developed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Standards and specifications for additional recycled content products as established by the EPA, and all such standards shall be reviewed and revised on an ongoing basis by the Waste Minimization Advisory Committee. See Supplement I for a listing of the most common recyclable materials.
UCSD shall continue to improve its efforts toward recycling and waste reduction goals by defining purchasing policies aimed at encouraging the procurement of recycled products. Because they are by far the largest volume recycled commodity handled by the campus, these purchasing policies will initially focus on paper products. Additional detailed purchasing policies shall be considered in the future by the Waste Minimization Advisory Committee described in Section V. of this policy. Purchasing authority for all campus paper products purchased through the Purchasing Department should remain consolidated under one contract administrator within the Purchasing Department. This consolidation of purchasing power allows for economies of scale in paper purchases to offset any potential price differentials between recycled and virgin products. Further it enables the campus to significantly increase recycled content paper purchases while reducing costs. Letter and legal size paper purchases should not be made through the use of Low Value Purchase Orders (LVPO's). The UCSD Storehouse should be used for the purchase of all paper products which include but are not limited to: cut paper for copiers and laser printers, computer paper and custodial paper products. The Storehouse provides the service of procuring, storing and distributing all types of paper supplies for UCSD. With the ability to negotiate purchases through an annual high volume purchase program the price stablization of paper products is favorably maintained for UCSD. The long term goal is to pursue the commitment to obtain and supply recycled paper products through all available sources. The UCSD Storehouse shall strive to procure paper products with the highest percentage of recycled content available providing these products meet established performance standards and are within 5% of the price of virgin paper products. Upon review and update of any University policy, limitations which restrict the purchase or use of recycled product shall be amended to encourage use of recycled products wherever possible, providing the necessary performance standards can be met.
All University employees shall be instructed with regard to their responsibility to participate in campus recycling efforts. General practices regarding recycling, reuse and waste reduction shall be included as part of the standard job description and job orientation for all new employees. The Office of Facilities Design and Construction and the Campus Planning Office shall work with the Waste Prevention and Recycling Coordinator to ensure that all new construction is designed to facilitate recycling in both interior and exterior locations. Whenever possible and economically feasible, the University and its contractors shall reuse or recycle materials resulting from the demolition or remodeling of campus facilities.
Facilities Management will be responsible for providing educational programs and materials for faculty and staff including a discussion of UCSD's commitment and responsibilities regarding waste prevention and recycling instructions on how various commodities can be recycled, information contacts and phone numbers, and any applicable incentives. Educational programs shall be implemented under the advice and guidance of the Waste Minimization Advisory Committee described in Section V. Responsibilities. Each Department should appoint a recycling contact person who will serve as the primary contact person for the Department. Educational presentations regarding the need for recycling and waste reduction and ways to participate in campus recycling efforts will be made to all new students as part of their orientation. Additional educational programs shall be devised and implemented under the advice and guidance of the Waste Minimization Advisory Committee as described in Section V. Responsibilities.
Coordination - The coordination of the following waste reduction, reuse and recycling programs shall be consolidated under the Waste Prevention and Recycling Coordinator: Aluminum Cardboard Computer paper Glass Yard Wastes Mixed paper Newspaper Plastic White paper Metal Tin & Steel cans Building Materials Oil and Batteries Reuse Programs Ship & Vehicle Waste The campus Coordinator shall oversee the day to day operations of UCSD's recycling programs, maintain records of recycling activities, and staff the Waste Minimization Advisory Committee. All departments and organizations engaged in individual recycling programs shall provide records of their operations to the campus Waste Prevention and Recycling Coordinator on a quarterly basis within fifteen days following the end of each calendar quarter. Individual program record keeping shall be computerized if possible, and shall be done in a uniform format to be supplied by the coordinator, by all departments and organizations engaged in recycling efforts addressed under this policy. Data shall include the commodity, the quantity (in lbs/month), revenues, vendors and expenses. UCSD shall maintain a standing "Waste Minimization Advisory Committee" to provide guidance and oversight for the campus waste prevention and recycling operations. The Waste Minimization Advisory Committee shall be advisory to the Vice Chancellor - Resource Management & Planning. The Committee shall be appointed on an annual basis and shall include representatives from the faculty, staff and student body. The Waste Minimization Advisory Committee shall be responsible for staying abreast of current regulations, technologies, and opportunities in recycling, and shall support and direct the implementation of recycling education programs. The Waste Minimization Advisory Committee shall review quarterly recycling reports and determine whether any commodities should be added to or deleted from UCSD's recycling operations. The Committee shall also prepare an annual report to the Vice Chancellor-Resource Management & Planning by June 30 each year, summarizing the campus waste prevention and recycling activities and progress, and include any suggestions for improvements to recycling programs. Supplement I EPA STANDARDS AND SPECIFICATIONS FOR RECYCLED CONTENT PRODUCTS Recommended Recovered Fiber Content Levels For Uncoated Printing and Writing Papers
(1) these items can be made from a variety of printing and writing papers, depending on the performance characteristics of the item. Some of the papers are a commodity-type and some are specialty papers. EPA recommends that procuring agencies determine the performance characteristics required of the paper prior to establishing minimum content standards. For example, bond, ledger, or stationery made from cotton fiber paper or a text & cover paper have different characteristics than similar items made from commodity papers. Recommended Recovered Fiber Content Levels for Coated Printing and Writing Papers
Recommended Recovered Fiber Content Levels for Bristols
Recommended Recovered Fiber Content Levels for Paperboard and Packaging Products
(1) The recovered fiber and postconsumer fiber content is calculated from the content of each component relative to the weight each contributes to the total weight of the box. (2) The recommended content ranges are not applicable to all types of paperboard used in folding cartons. Cartons made from solid bleached sulfate or solid unbleached sulfate contain no or small percentages of postconsumer fiber, depending on the paperboard source. (3) Carrierboard made from unbleached draft contains up to 25% recovered fiber, while carrierboard made from recycled paperboard contains up to 100% recovered fiber. MISCELLANEOUS: Recommended Recovered Fiber Content Levels for Miscellaneous Paper Products, Commercial/Industrial Sanitary Tissue Products, Traffic Cones, Traffic Barricades, Running Tracks, Playground Surfaces Floor Tiles and Patio Blocks are also available. |