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Projects Updates for Glove Recycling

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  1. RightCycle End of Year 2018 metrics

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Hello Shantanu,

    Congratulations on your outstanding waste diversion accomplishments in 2018!  By participating in the RIGHTCYCLE* Program, University of Illinois- Urbana Champaign has diverted 10,086 pounds of glove waste from landfills. Thank you for your commitment to corporate social responsibility and your continued efforts to reduce your impact on the environment.

    9/12/2018

    University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign

    RC4016

    Gloves

     

    8/27/2018

    University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign

    RC3983

    Gloves

    9515

    10/1/2018

    University of Illinois Urbana- Champaign

    RC4226

    Gloves

    71

    1/17/2018

    University of Illinois Urbana- Chemistry

    RC3362

    Gloves

    500

    Please remember to email rightcycle@kcc.com to request a release number prior to shipping your waste and to clearly display this number on your shipment.

    It all adds up to zero landfill and a more efficient workplace. 

     

    Thank you,

    Erika

  2. Glove Recycling - Program Changes

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste
    Glove Recycling

    Morgan White sent the following message to labs participating in the glove recycling program on Dec. 13, 2018:

    Hello Glove Recycling Contacts,

     

    Thank you for your support of the Illinois Climate Action Plan (iCAP) waste reduction efforts, in connection with the Kimberly-Clark Professionals RightCycle program.  We are very appreciative of the initiative and time you all have dedicated to glove recycling to help reduce landfill waste from the University of Illinois over the past three years. I’m also emailing the people who have expressed interest in joining the program, so you are aware of these changes.

     

    I am writing to let you know that we will halt glove recycling for research labs and teaching labs on campus, as of the end of this calendar year.  The RightCycle program is only intended for recycling non-hazardous materials, and the majority of our labs are using gloves as protection against hazards or potential hazards.  Therefore, we will continue to participate in RightCycle only with gloves used for food service, starting in 2019.  If you are collecting gloves to recycle from a lab on campus, please do not drop off gloves and do not ship them to Kimberly-Clark after December 31, 2018.

     

    If you and your colleagues in research and teaching labs would like to continue actively supporting campus sustainability, please join the Certified Green Lab Program at https://go.illinois.edu/greenlab, coordinated through the Institute for Sustainability, Energy, and Environment (iSEE).

     

    Please let me know if you have any questions about glove recycling, and have a happy holiday season.

     

    Thanks,

    Morgan

  3. Weekly Updates for Zero Waste

    Associated Project(s): 
    Zero Waste
    Glove Recycling

    The updates below apply to the week ending Dec. 9, 2018.

    Hi Pete and Shawn--

    This past week, zero-waste activity focused on a major change to the glove recycling program. Morgan and I spoke with Monica Miller on Friday and heard concerns about the potential for labs (especially research labs) to inadvertently place hazardous materials in the recycling stream. Monica pointed out the complexities of compliance, especially when staff turns over at a lab. The determination was to stop glove recycling at labs. There may be some exceptions that DRS would need to determine on a case-by-case basis.

    Morgan is drafting a message to the labs to tell them of the changes, which will take effect Dec. 31. Per Monica's request, I have contacted Serenity Desmond at Noyes and the Chem Annex to ask her to contact Monica about the change. Monica is familiar with ISTC's practices and is comfortable with their continued participation. There is no issue with Dining Services or food venues continuing to participate.

    I have contacted the BER students who were trying to find the names of teaching coordinators so that DRS could talk with them under the previous plan. I told them to send the information they have already collected but that they can stop. Morgan and I hope to enlist them to help expand the program in food venues, and possibly to promote RightCycle to restaurants in the community.

    Best regards,
    Marya Ryan

  4. Recontacted BER Volunteers

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    With the students back in town for the semester, Marya Ryan re-contacted the Business in Environmental Responsibility (BER) volunteers she spoke with in the spring. The volunteers are helping with the glove recycling program. Over the summer, they identified contacts for nonparticipating departments with $2,000 or more in nitrile glove purchases for the first three quarters of fiscal year 2017-2018. Ryan emailed their contact person, Meghna Vijayan, and caught her up on events over the summer, such as the relocation of the trailer at PPSB and F&S's work with the Division of Research Safety. Ryan also asked whether they could help identify teaching coordinators in the teaching labs to assist with that work.

  5. Working with Division of Research Safety on Glove Recycling Safety

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Morgan White and Marya Ryan had a phone call with Monica Miller of the Division of Research Safety (DRS) and Shantanu Pai. F&S is working with DRS to ensure that labs/facilities participating in the glove recycling program are employing best safety practices to prevent biohazards and dangerous chemicals from entering the recycling stream. Ryan has emails out to participating labs to gather lab names, room numbers, and PI contact information so that F&S can start assessing any additional instructions, training, or other program components that will support safe practices.

  6. New Trailer Location Map Sent to Participating Departments - August 2018

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    The glove recycling trailer was moved to a different location at the Physical Plant Services Building during the summer of 2018. Marya Ryan sent a map showing the new location to all departments participating in the glove recycling program on August 14, 2018. The information on the iCAP portal page was also updated to reflect the change.

  7. How to empty the trailer

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    When the glove recycling storage container is full, Housing Food Stores Operations Manager Michael Olinger contacts Kimberly-Clark. Kimberly-Clark then comes to campus and loads the pallets of gloves into a truck to recycle them.

  8. Added Glove Recycling Locations to Project Locations Map

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Several locations that have been participating in glove recycling were missing from the project locations map. Marya Ryan added them on July 29. They are Florida Avenue Residence Halls, Ikenberry Commons, Illinois Street Residence Halls, Lincoln Avenue Residence Halls, and Pennsylvania Avenue Residence Halls.

  10. Webform Now Available for Glove Recycling Participation Sign-Up

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    A web form is now available for departments to use when signing up to participate in the glove recycling program. Program participation instructions on the iCAP web page for the program have been updated to include the link. The form is to be used instead of emailing the zero-waste coordinator directly.

  11. Updated Glove Drop-off Site

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    The location to drop off gloves at the Physical Plant Services Building (PPSB) changed in the summer of 2018. The map showing the location was updated accordingly. It is still at PPSB but in a slightly different location there.

  12. BER Volunteers Identified Department Contacts for Outreach

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    In July 2018, BER student volunteers identified contacts for about 15 departments that purchase significant quantities of nitrile gloves but do not currenty participate in the glove recycling program. In the fall, volunteers will follow up with the contacts to inquire about interest in participation.

  13. BER Volunteers to Assist with Outreach to Departments

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Student volunteers from Business Environmental Responsibilities stepped forward over the winter to assist with outreach to departments that purchase nitrile gloves but are not yet participating in the glove recycling program. They now have a list of about a dozen departments that purchase large quantities of gloves. Over the summer, they will identify contacts within each department. In the fall, F&S will provide them with information and materials to send to interested departments, and they can start emailing and calling the departments.

  16. Recycled Glove Quantities Reported by Kimberly-Clark

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Kimberly-Clark reported the following waste diversion statistics related to the glove recycling program:

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Illinois Sustainable Technology  Center: 3,000 lbs

    University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign/Illinois Chemistry Department: 440 lbs

     

    The time frame was not included in the report. Additional information will be sought.

  19. Replaced Related File Dec. 10, 2017

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Replaced Glove Bin Poster.pdf file of the glove bin sign with a newer version sent from Jonathan McClintock. The newer version (UIUC KC RIGHTSYCLE BIN SIGN.pdf) includes a campus logo.

  20. Archived Project Description

    Associated Project(s): 
    Glove Recycling

    Archived and replaced the following description on Dec. 10, 2017:

    In lab buildings, protective gloves can be a major component of the waste stream.  For example, at the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center (ISTC), plastic gloves were found to be over 8% of their total waste by weight.  There is a recycling program for nitrile gloves that can be purchased through Fisher Scientific, for Kimberely-Clark nitrile gloves.  This program is being implemented at various locations across campus.

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