UCLA’s Hitch Suites test out new composting bins
By Sonali Kohli
Nov. 12, 2009 5:20 a.m.
Students in Hitch Suites now have a new waste bin in their rooms for compostable items, as a part of efforts to increase recycling on the Hill.
While the blue recycling bin remains unchanged, the bins are now used for compostable materials, and a small side bin that clips on to the main one receives trash, said Robert Gilbert, sustainability coordinator for Housing and Hospitality Services.
This pilot program is part of ongoing efforts by UCLA to meet the UC-wide goal of 75 percent waste diversion by 2012, and 100 percent by 2020, said UCLA Sustainability Coordinator Nurit Katz.
An action research team that was part of an education and sustainable living program on campus looked at waste in residence halls and found that 30-35 percent of waste generated in halls is compostable, while another 30-35 percent is recyclable, Gilbert said. This leaves the smallest percentage as trash for landfill, which is why the bins for trash are the smallest.
“We’re trying to be on target to meet our UCLA goals,” he said. “This is a pilot program with Hitch, but I’d like to expand that to the other dorms and to our boutique restaurants.”
RAs in Hitch discussed the content of the bins with students, and went over what is and is not compostable at the beginning of the year, said Armen Ourfalian, a first-year math and applied science student.
Ourfalian said, though, that he and his roommates do not use the new bin.
Other students said that they do not have compostable materials in their rooms, so there is nothing to put in the bins.
Gilbert said nearly all the materials from campus eateries are compostable or recyclable, so students should not encounter the problem of not having enough compostable items to fill the bin.
Other students do make an effort to use the new system but end up separating their trash differently. First-year neuroscience student Christine Truong said she and her roommates use the smaller bin for compostable materials and put trash in the larger one.
“It’s a matter of communicating better and getting through the apathy,” Gilbert said. “If it’s not successful (at Hitch), the program won’t expand.”
Gilbert said he will be in contact with Hitch RAs and administration to further educate students on composting and promote the importance of the program.
Gilbert added that he hopes there will eventually be only recycling and composting bins in the students’ rooms, and the trash chutes will be for these two purposes, with one trash can for the hall, and soon not even that.
Because these changes are a part of the city of Los Angeles’ food waste recycling program, part of the costs are subsidized, although less every year, he added.
“Our targets are in line with city targets, so we’re all working toward this zero waste goal together,” Katz said.
One major motivation for achieving the 75 percent diversion is the money that will be saved, UCLA Recycling Coordinator Chris Gallego said.
Currently, non-recyclable waste is transported to Puente Hills landfill, which is closing soon. Once it is filled, trash from UCLA will be transported via train to Arizona landfills, which will result in increased costs for the university.
“This is a 60,000 person university,” Katz said. “There’s quite a lot of waste that’s generated, so we’re working really hard to make sure that it doesn’t end up in a landfill.”
