Campus solid waste reduction through the trash to treasure move-out program

Abstract

College and university campuses are large producers of solid waste, but they also can represent the cutting edge of creative and sustainable waste management strategies. As landfill tipping fees increase and available landfill space decreases, diverting solid waste becomes more and more important. In 2013 Eckerd College, a private liberal arts college located in St. Petersburg, Florida, implemented an end-of-year move-out program called Trash to Treasure. First pioneered by the University of New Hampshire, this innovative program stores dorm room items that would have gone to the landfill and makes them available for re-use by incoming students. Not only does the initiative divert waste from landfills, it is an income generator for the Office of Sustainability. It also provides students with a hands-on experiential opportunity to learn about environmental sustainability. This article explains the steps of the Trash to Treasure program and how it has progressed over the five years since implementation at Eckerd College. The program is a model that can be applied to other campuses globally.