Solid Waste, Recycling, and Composting


Preamble and statement of commitment
Most domestic waste from Earlham ends up in the landfill maintained by the Richmond Sanitary District. In 2003, 30,715 cubic yards of trash were removed from campus at a cost of $33,959. Richmond operates one of only four municipal landfills in the State of Indiana, most landfill operations have moved to private corporations. Richmond operates a modern sanitary landfill which satisfies State and Federal regulations. However, like all landfills, it has a limited lifetime. Reduction of waste put into the facility is a primary objective of Earlham. The primary means for accomplishing this objective are source reduction, composting, and recycling - "reduce, reuse, recycle".

What Earlham has done and is doing about solid waste source reduction
The single most important and least expensive way to reduce the amount of solid waste created by human activities is to reduce the volume of materials purchased. Purchasing at Earlham is highly decentralized so reduction of materials purchased will require broad education of entire community. Many of the products ordered by Earlham students and employees arrive in packaging materials that are significantly larger that the requested product.
Most waste from construction and grounds maintenance on campus is placed in an old-fashioned "dump" on the property of Miller Farm. Because this waste is inert, there is minimal environmental harm; however, there is some concern about the impact of the dump on the local landscape.
The Earlham Post Office actively encourages Earlham students and employees to fill out “Do not send” cards to the Direct Mail Association to reduce the significant amounts of unsolicited direct mail advertisements received on campus.

What Earlham has done and is doing about composting
Composting of food wastes at Earlham began in 2002 following an agreement with Sodexho. Any natural waste material can be composted and returned to a humus material that can be used on gardens to provide a healthy soil, and return organic material back into the natural cycle promoting a healthy soil ecosystem. This includes plant scraps such as lawn clippings, food scraps with the exception of dairy products and citrus items, and paper products, such as paper napkins, that do not contain any plastic coating. Sodexho managers have been very cooperative, and composting is easier since there is a centralized location where most of the food on the campus is made.
There are two work-study positions for composting. The composting site is located at Miller Farm. Student workers maintain the compost piles. Compost is carried to the compost piles by student workers via a bicycle cart.

Recycling
Recycling at Earlham is inherently dependent upon recycling opportunities and structures within Richmond and Wayne County. As in most states, recycling in the city of Richmond and in Wayne County has had an uneven history of both level of activity and allowable materials. The success of recycling depends on the awareness and commitment of Earlham students and employees, as well as market factors beyond our control.

What Earlham has done and is doing about recycling

  • There are numerous recycling bins at various locations – both indoor and outdoor – around the campus. The management of these bins is the responsibility of the Maintenance Department.
  • Cardboard recycling is located near the Maintenance garage.
  • There are large dumpsters for co-mingled paper: Barrett Hall, Kelly House, Runyan Center, Dennis Hall, Lilly Library, Bolling Center and Carpenter Hall.
  • There are small containers for office paper in each employee office. These are regularly emptied into large bins by the employees. The housekeeping staff then transfers the materials to recycling dumpsters.
  • There are roller-type receptacles for plastic and glass beverage containers in academic and administrative buildings. Work-study students are responsible for emptying these as necessary.
  • There are roller-type receptacles for recycling plastic grocery bags in Runyan Center and in Carpenter Hall.
  • Earlham sponsors a county-wide event to encourage recycling of computers and other electronic hazardous waste.

What can students do about recycling?
The most important thing is being aware of what materials go in what bins. Contamination of recycling bins continues to be a major problem.

For more information see Recycling at Earlham.

What Earlham has done and is doing about hazardous wastes
The College generates a small amount of waste each year that, by Federal regulation, can neither be flushed down the drain nor sent to a landfill. This waste includes chemical, medical, and fine arts wastes. The College contracts with licensed firms that pick-up these wastes for special disposal.
The Director of Health Services is responsible for training the nursing staff about hazardous medical wastes, and for supervising the storage and pick-up of medical waste to the contractor.

The Chemical Hygiene Officer (“CHO”) trains Maintenance and Housekeeping staff as well as student stockroom workers and certain faculty about safety issues regarding the use, storage and disposal of hazardous laboratory and maintenance materials. The CHO conducts an annual inventory of hazardous wastes in the Chemistry, Biology, Geology, Art, Wellness, and Maintenance Departments and sees to it that these materials are delivered to the disposal contractor. The CHO also ensures that Material Safety and Disposal Sheets (MSDS) are easily accessible to persons using hazardous materials. The College is in compliance with Federal regulations regarding the handling, storage and disposal of hazardous materials, and no current changes in College procedures are needed.

 

Initiatives

Recycling Doc