We are currently trying to determine an adequate and manageable approach to this credit. Here is our scenario
- We currently have daytime janitorial service (6am – 2:30pm).
- Trash is removed in the middle of the day just after lunch and removal takes about an hour.
- We have weekly desk-side trash pickup so that only a ¼ of the building’s desk-side trash is removed each day.
- All common trash and composting areas are removed on a daily basis.
- Deskside recycling is the responsibility of the individual tenants.
- Tenants dump deskside recycling into large common recycling roll carts that are removed only when full (about every other day).
I have two questions:
1. We are trying to avoid collecting a weeks worth of waste, which would be in the range of 60 yards of trash, 150 roll carts of recycling (95 gallons each) and 30 roll carts (95 gallons each) of compost. Would it possible to do a 24 hour sort? We have thought about a 24 hour period as 2:30pm – 2:30pm and having the janitorial staff pull all the waste for 2 days - the first day to clear the building and the second day for the audit. One problem is that some trash would be pulled at 1:30 and the last bit of trash would be pulled at 2:30 (would the hour over lap matter)? And is ok to make this switch in service for the audit purposes?
2. How have other individuals dealt with self-service desk-side recycling? Does the waste audit team remove it? Or is not considered “waste” until individuals place in the correct common location? We worry that if we pull self-service recycling bins some people may need a document they thought they could recycling…It’s almost like an in-between area.
Any help would be appreciated!
Jason Franken
Sustainability ProfessionalLEEDuser Expert
608 thumbs up
February 8, 2011 - 8:43 am
Wendy, just a quick clarification: the 24-hour collection period is typical and definitely acceptable, however, you must include ALL waste generated in the project building in your audit. Sampling of the waste stream is not allowed in any form. So, you'll need to coordinate a pick-up of all desk-side bins as part of your audit procedure.
Wendy Gibson
156 thumbs up
February 8, 2011 - 11:09 am
Thanks for the clarification. As we should not tell tenants about the audit, any suggestions on dealing with people who might need a document they have recycled? Could we just inform them that we will be collecting all waste for two days - but not state why?
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11478 thumbs up
February 8, 2011 - 11:19 am
I would want to avoid sending any signal that people should not recycle stuff on the day of the audit. Do you have any reason to think that this is an issue. Recycling gets picked up from desks weekly so people must be used to seeing their stuff go away. If they are using the recycling bin as a file cabinet I think that's their issue, not yours.
Wendy Gibson
156 thumbs up
February 8, 2011 - 11:49 am
Right now we currently only have weekly deskside trash pickup, not recycling. Deskside recycling is completely up to the tenant. They have to dump their own deskside recycling in the community recycling bins in the break rooms when they decide to. Unfortunately, its not a service we provide.
I know from personal experience that sometimes I'll put something in my deskside recycling and then decide I still need it and take it back out before I dump it, which is kind of why it is a grey area and letting people know might allow them to make sure they have only disposed things they really do not want. As it is something that tenants currently are responsible for it almost feels like a slight invasion of privacy.
Tristan Roberts
RepresentativeVermont House of Representatives
LEEDuser Expert
11478 thumbs up
February 8, 2011 - 11:53 am
I see—I hadn't realized that. If I were in your shoes I would let them know that as a one-time thing, desk-side recycling will be emptied by cleaning staff sometime in the next two weeks—giving them fair warning but probably not causing any change in behavior.
Wendy Gibson
156 thumbs up
February 8, 2011 - 12:11 pm
I like that approach. Thanks for working it through with me.