A bag that’s too large for a container means more cost, more work for the main-tenance staff and more plastic to dispose of. The following case studies show how two universities used PCR bags to help meet their sustainability and environmental goals. Both universities were committed to envi-ronmental responsibility. Their big question was: Can we “go green” at a cost that is the same as or less than tra-ditional methods? John Brown University John Brown University (JBU) is a 2,400-stu-dent, Christian-based private university in Si-loam Springs, Arkansas, just a few hundred feet from the Arkansas-Oklahoma border. Steve Brankle, JBU’s director of facilities and sustainability, was looking for ways to re-duce costs while supporting the university’s sustainability commitment. He found that switching from traditional trash liners to PCR bags accomplished both. The university estimates it saved 20 per-cent in the cost of trash bags during the first year by switching to PCR bags from tradi-tional virgin polyethylene liners. “These PCR liners are strong, high-quality and EPA-compliant, and our employees like them,” Brankle says. “We try to buy products that aren’t made from virgin material. We also try to save money. The PCR bags meet both of those goals.” It has been reported that JBU became the first zero-landfill university campus in Arkansas or Oklahoma in July 2012, through a sustain-ability effort that yielded recognition for the university and saved them money at the same time. The zero-landfill commitment means that no waste from the campus goes into a landfill. JBU formed a partnership with the City of Siloam Springs and nearby companies to ac-cept their waste products for recycling. Salvaged metal is sold to a local metal re-cycling company. Plastics, cardboard, paper and glass goes to the city for recycling, and plastic bags are taken to a local retail store that provides con-sumer recycling. Cafeteria waste is sent to a hog farm. Items not recycled are sent to an emission-free incinerator. Brankle says sustainability is a win-win sit-uation for the university and the community. “We set the example for environmental stewardship for our students and save mon-ey at the same time,” he says. “Our total sus-tainability savings in 2012 were estimated at $100,000, and we’re pushing for a $200,000 savings this year.” Brankle encourages universities consider-ing sustainability programs to consider two factors: Start with a big project and concen-trate on saving money. “You have to promote sustainability and change the culture to make it worthwhile. Sustainability works for us at JBU.” North Carolina State Located in Raleigh, NC State is the largest public university in the Carolinas and has a campus community of more than 40,000 stu-dents, faculty and staff. The university is the highest-ranked school in the southeastern United States when it comes to LEED certification and be-ing “green.” Brian Kazura, who has been warehouse manager for NC State for more than three years, says his campus administration push-es hard for the university to be sustainable and environmentally conscious. “I’m constantly looking for products and practices that are friendly to the environ-ment.” Kazura says the university started with fair-ly simple sustainability projects such as recy-cling wooden pallets into tree mulch, switch-ing to water-based paints and converting to a PCR bag from traditional trash can liners. One of the university’s suppliers of facility maintenance and supplies recommended the school put the PCR can liners through a test. Kazura agreed to a six-month trial. The university uses six different sizes of bag liners; three for housekeeping, two for buildings and grounds staff and one for maintenance. The D.H. Hill Library was chosen as the pri-mary test site for the PCR liners, according to Kazura. Library waste is often heavy due to the va-riety of things going into the waste recepta-cles, such as books, papers and magazines. The housekeeping staff was also giv-en bags to use for the trial, as was the grounds staff. “During the trial we compared the thick-ness of the PCR bags to our existing virgin polyethylene trash can liners,” Kazura ex-plains. “We quickly determined that on a thickness-of-material basis the PCR bags were stronger.” “We had no issues with the PCR bags,” Kazura adds. “The staff was happy with the product, it was stronger than virgin polyeth-ylene and it costs less. Since the PCR bags are stronger, we switched to a lower-mil thickness, sometimes by half. Less thickness also means less weight for our workers to handle.” Following the test, the school extended the use of PCR bags to include athletic and sta-dium events. “We use about 10,000 cases of bags a year and save roughly $6-$7 a case. That’s a significant savings,” Kuzura says. These PCR content bags are also certified by SCS Global Services as eco-friendly, an important independent and neutral third-party confirmation. Prior to the test, a campus environmental sustainability team developed a sustainabil-ity strategic plan with a mission “to engage the students, faculty members, staff and uni-versity partners in preparing for a more sus-tainable future.” The plan also articulated a vision “to ad-vance sustainability into the culture, mission and activities of the university and to become nationally recognized for its success.” Kazura says that “going green” saves the university money and reduces his warehouse expenses by thousands of dollars a year. Conclusion Both John Brown University and North Caro-lina State University found they could meet the challenge of “going green” while also “saving green.” The successful use of PCR content trash can liners is one example of how managers and maintenance professionals can work together to meet sustainability goals. The green movement provides numerous opportunities for institutions to evaluate ways to save money while practicing sustainability and being environmentally conscious. CM www.cmmonline.com 31
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