UC Berkeley Moving Services
DESIGNATED REUSE BIN PROJECT PROBLEM Reusable office supplies are thrown away during campus office moves. At the end of most large office moves there is a lot of debris left over. The movers, working fast, sweep the
debris into large cardboard bins, which they then empty into the trash. Upon closer inspection of the debris it’s clear that many perfectly good, usable office supplies are mixed in with the trash. It is not cost effective for the move crew to sort the reusable items from the trash; therefore these items get thrown away.
SOLUTION Purchase small bins to send departments prior to their moves and instruct people to put unwanted, usable supplies in these bins while they pack. In this way the supplies are presorted from the trash before the move with little effort by the staff or movers. Moving Services, an unfunded department, did not have the funds to purchase the bins so we applied for a small TGIF Grant of $2000. We purchased six 6-bushel totes on wheels in April 21014 and in April 2015 we will purchase three 10-bushel totes with the remaining funds. Prior to a move, Moving Services delivers the bins to the move site and later arranges for the bins to be picked up either before or during the move. The movers take the full bins to UC’s Excess & Surplus where they are staged for pick up by Recycling and Refuse. The bin contents are sorted by ReUse student volunteers for distribution to local schools.
PUBLICITY/EDUCATION Moving Services’ move guidelines include information about the bins and the move coordinators recommend them to customers. Several times a year Space Management & Capital Programs sponsors a building clean out to help departments free up space. The bins are highly publicized and used during these projects.
Cubic Bins Feet
Date
Location
April 2014
Kroeber Hall - Building clean out
8
54
In an 11 month period, using the six 6-bushel bins, we diverted approx. 609 cubic feet from the landfill, saving approximately $700 in trash fees. The supplies were given to local schools, thereby saving them and their students money. The bins were used in six large projects that involved about 12 buildings and numerous UC staff. Having the bins on site publicizes and confirms UC’s commitment to reuse and sustainable practices.
July 2014
Institute of East Asian Studies - Move from 2223 Fulton to 1995 University Ave
12
80
July 2014
Astronomy - Move from various locations to New Campbell Hall
20
134
October 2014
Lewis and Tan Hall – Building clean out
6
40
UC staff have told us how much they appreciate the bins and that they are very happy to have their unwanted supplies reused and not trashed. Because people are grateful for the bins, Moving Services is now receiving requests for them through word-of-mouth publicity.
December 2014
Cesar Chavez – Renovation surge project
9
60
March 2015
Boalt Hall – Building clean out
6
40
2014 Misc. Use
Use of bins for small moves and for use sorting office supplies from much larger tubs of trash on the Excess & Surplus loading dock.
30
201
Total
91
609
RESULTS
Before
After
Movers’ tubs used for collecting leftover debris and small objects during a move. These tubs are 30 x 27 x 42”
Designated ReUse bins for unwanted but reusable office supplies. These tubs are 20 x 19 x 30”