One of the ambitious goals set for UF is to be Zero Waste by
2015. Toward this goal, the Office is developing a Zero Waste
Plan with key stakeholders from across campus to reduce our
municipal solid waste (MSW). As a first step, The Office of
Sustainability commissioned an audit of the solid waste
management practices and generation campus-wide. This waste
audit was conducted by students in UF’s Department of
Environmental Engineering Sciences (EES) under guidance of EES
faculty. The audit objectives were to summarize current solid
waste characteristics and management practices on campus, to
benchmark current recycling and waste reduction efforts, and to
identify potential steps to further decrease the amount of UF
waste destined for disposal. In addition to compiling existing
information, the audit team performed several studies to collect
new data helpful for estimating the current composition of solid
waste on campus. UF presently produces approximately 18,000 tons
of waste annually. Approximately 11,000 t