Contracts play an important role in campus waste management. Contracts are used to secure markets for recyclable materials and also vendor services. UO Campus Recycling has several different contracts for various purposes including the foundation of the Program. We are working hard to include waste reduction in all construction contracts, vendor and services contracts.

Student Fee Budget Agreement

VENDOR PROPOSAL

    Since 1993-94 Campus Recycling has been working with Purchasing to include waste reduction in all vendor contracts. Click on Vendor Proposal for our report. A report written in 1994, that documents the expense of campus waste and makes a case for including this in life cost accounting for all contracts. Purchasing historically has not considered the cost of waste generation from contracts in vendor services. Campus Recycling and other waste management services incur the costs of these contracts without any pay back Since the creation of this document, the UO has begun including a requirement for waste management in all demolition contracts.    Additionally, the campus vending contract now includes a charge for recycling of all beverage containers generated from this contract ( see Beverage Container Waste Tax). After all, the vending contract includes a charge for electricity!

   Rutgers University, under the direction of Kevin Lyons, has done an excellent job in modeling this practice in all campus contracts. Even the electrical supply vendor agreements require the vendors to reduce their packaging and take back recyclable packaging! THANX KEVIN!

Go to Rutgers University

BEVERAGE CONTAINER WASTE TAX

    In the campus vending contract there are 2 pieces of contract language that have created support for campus recycling. Under General Information "support the campus environmental and recycling efforts" is included as part of the specs of the contract. Under scope of services required it states: Payment of Utilities and Recycling Services: Contractor will reimburse Campus Recycling Services for the expensive incurred to provide appropriate recycling containers at the vending sites at the rate of $500/month for recycling collection and $1000/year for bin purchase and maintenance payable on Sept. 1 annually.

Soft drink vending contracts - tool kit
The National Recycling Coalition and its College and University Recycling Council have released a tool kit for schools with upcoming soft drink vending contracts. Campus purchasing officials, recycling coordinators, student groups, and prospective vendors can all benefit from the information the Tool kit contains.
The seven page document is designed to help maximize the level of recycling associated with soft drink vending while promoting vendors' assistance in recycling and waste reduction. The Tool kit includes sample bid language, options to address recycling and waste reduction concerns, a cost analysis of converting vending machines from aluminum cans to plastic bottles, and a case studies from nine schools around the country.
Some of the significant findings and recommendations include:
Products and packaging associated with soft drink vending have direct financial and environmental impacts to the campus.
Increasingly, vendors have recognized the need to assist campus recycling programs and have provided a wide range of support- ranging from funding assistance and collection of recyclables, to donated equipment and promotional materials.
Schools receiving the highest levels of support for recycling have included provisions for recycling support into vending contracts.
A menu of requirements and options to include in vendor contracts offers flexibility to vendors while providing support to the campus recycling program.
Vendors are more likely to provide support when schools acknowledge vendors' involvement and reciprocate with positive publicity for vendors' efforts.
The tool kit was prepared by the College and University Recycling Council (CURC), a group of 150 campus recycling managers affiliated with the National Recycling Coalition. Jack DeBell, Director of the University of Colorado's recycling program and chair of CURC's Purchasing Committee noted the urgency of campus purchasing departments and recycling programs to begin working together. "Campus recycling programs simply cannot afford to handle the impacts of vending operations alone. Increasingly, soft drink companies are realizing the need to assist recycling and have begun showing real support for campus recycling operations."
The Tool kit is available at no cost to NRC members ($12 for non- members).
Contact the National Recycling Coalition at (703)683-9025
or visit http://www.nrc-recycle.org
or CURC's web site: http://www.nrc-recycle.org/curcprojects.aspx
Gary Liss 916-652-7850 Fax: 916-652-0485
Jack DeBell, Director, University of Colorado Recycling Services (303) 492-8307

OFFICE SUPPLY CONTRACT

    The University of Oregon has a contract for office supply purchasing. Over the years, the vendor has made voluntary changes to: