If there is one thing I've learned as a recycling coordinator at uOttawa is that when it comes to waste, the learning curve is very very steep.
If for me, whose work involves going through garbage daily, correctly triaging my waste seems complicated, what about a student?
As I yelled a curse-word at yet another mis-triaged bin, I started to wonder. Was the system too complicated or the people not informed as they should be? Or, do they just not care?
My answer is “they do” seem to care...as long as the process is not so complex as to requiring them holding three masters degrees to understand it or taking an hour of their time to sort one item. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a system is “a set of principles or procedures according to which something is done; an organized framework or method”. The only drawback with this definition is that there is no indication to the amount of complexity people can handle. But, to no surprise, the more options you have, the more likely you are to pick the wrong one.
So, when you have a disposable coffee cup with a lid, are you really going to take the time to separate them? Well, yes. At least I hope so.
Here are some other commonly missorted items on campus that you should double check if you're sorting correctly:
- Coffee cups with lids. Please separate them, throw the lid in garbage and the cup in compost.
- On the topic of compost, anything made of cardboard should go in compost. Yes, ANYTHING made of paper or cardboard. Above all, put your pizza boxes in there! Rule of thumb: if you could burn it without it emitting toxic fumes, it is good to compost.
- Milk cartons. Don’t let the name deceive you! They go in the plastic, metal, glass. Anything that is a tetra pak also goes in plastic including juice boxes.
- Granola bar wrappers, chocolate bar wrappers, other types of wrappers all go in the garbage.
~justine lemoine, recycling coordinator