Rethinking waste on campus
Mohawk's waste programs are aimed at reducing the total amount of waste and recycling generated on campus while maintaining strong diversion rates.
Waste Reduction
In 2013 and in direct alignment with the Environmental Management Plan, Mohawk College issued a policy to help reduce Mohawk’s carbon footprint. The Single-use Plastics Policy [opens PDF] aims at lowering waste management costs associated with the disposal of single-use plastics.
Refillable water stations have been installed around the college at Fennell, Stoney Creek, and the Institute of Applied Health Sciences at McMaster campus to encourage the use of reusable water bottles.
Waste Diversion
Mohawk measures its waste diversion by tracking the weights of materials sent to landfills versus those sent to recycling or compost facilities. These numbers can be found in our annual third-party waste audit reports. Our Waste Reduction Workplans can be found in Appendix III:
- 2019 Waste Audit Report - Fennell Campus [Opens PDF 3.67MB]
- 2019 Waste Audit Report - Stoney Creek Campus [Opens PDF 3.32MB]
Green Bin/Composting
In 2018, 52% of Mohawk College’s waste to landfill was food and organic wastes (Fennell Campus). Addressing food and organic waste on campus is an important part of reducing waste created on campus. If you are eating in the C-Wing Cafeteria, there are large roll-off green/compost bins in the seating area. Find them near the Tim Hortons and the dishwashing station.
As well, much of our composting is done behind the scenes in the kitchens. They dispose of pre-consumer food such as food preparation scraps.
There are many environmental benefits of diverting organics and food wastes, including:
- Reduction of methane emissions
- Decreased leachate from landfills
- Production of valuable compost and renewable energy
Coffee Cup Recycling Bins
With the help of Facility Services, the Sustainability Office has implemented specialized coffee cup recycling bins around Fennell campus as part of a pilot project. These yellow bins are specifically designed for the disposable coffee cups and collect every aspect of the cup including the lid, sleeve, and liquid. The bins can be found around food services areas such as Tim Hortons, Starbucks and the Cafeteria in C-Wing. Follow the instructions on the bin to help put waste in its place:
- Pour leftover coffee into the right receptacle.
- Remove lid from cup and place into the left receptacle.
- Place cup and sleeve into the middle receptacle.
- Give yourself a high-five!
Electronic Waste
The proper collection, reuse and recycling of electronic materials and equipment is an important part of environmental stewardship. Anything from televisions, monitors, cell phones and non-cellular phones, desktop computers, keyboard, etc. can be recycled, reused or repurposed.