aashe 2013

Turning Trash into Cash

The University of San Diego

E-Waste Collection CenterMichael Catanzaro AASHEPaula Morreale October 8, 2013

• USD Overview

• Why e-waste is different

• E-waste in numbers

• What we’ve done

• Growth of business

• Call to Action

• Discussion

Agenda

Catholic Private University founded in 1949Campus Size: 180 Acres; 84 BuildingsTotal Students: 7,832Undergraduate Students: 5,119Graduate Students: 2,713Tuition: $40,900 per year10:1 student to faculty ratio

University of San Diego

Mission: committed to advancing academic excellence, expanding liberal and professional knowledge, creating a diverse and inclusive community, and preparing leaders dedicated to ethical conduct and compassionate service

Vision: educating students who are globally competent, ethical leaders working and serving in our complex and changing world

• 2010 San Diego E.A.R.T.H. Works Award• 2011 SDG&E Energy Showcase, Excellence in Energy

Savings in Higher Ed • 2012 Energy All-Star Awards, Outstanding

Sustainable Organization• 2013 San Diego E.A.R.T.H. Works Award• 2013 Recyclemania Champion, E-Waste Division

6

E-Waste Collection Center

• Opened first full-time collection center on a college campus

• Local news coverage (newspaper and evening segments)

• More than 5,200 visitors in 2.5 years of operation

• Over 500,000 pounds collected• Collected over 80,000 in 1 month- winner of

Recyclemania E-waste Challenge• Social service for community – education and

job creation• Living Laboratory


What USD has Done

• Created a free drop-off location for residents and businesses to dispose of electronic waste in an environmentally and socially responsible way

• Service to the community

• Connects to the growing changemaker values of Ashoka with the social entrepreneurial movement on campus

• We collect ALL e-waste

• Computers, cell phones, tv’s, etc.

• Easily sold/repurposed- creates revenue

• Batteries, toner, light bulbs

• Community Impact• Provide opportunities• Build capacity of individuals• Education at local high school and middle

schools• E-waste collection drive at schools• Zero Waste Educators grant

• Individual empowerment through skill development

• Seat retrofit allows three workers and coach to conduct pick ups 5 days a week

• Work 25 hours a week

E-Waste Learning Laboratory

• Environmental Studies major senior researched e-waste as her senior thesis

• Industrial Engineering completed a comprehensive efficiency study to help us understand how to maximize our ROI

• Communication class developed our mission statement and commercials for the web

• Social Entrepreneur Course provided inputs on potential business opportunities

• Marketing class creates and monitors online advertising through Google grant

• Google Grant• $10,000 per month in free

advertising• Connection to classroom • Real experience for

business students• Measureable results

• Advertise reselling of e-waste on Google and craigslist

• Pick-ups for local businesses and residents

Advertisement

• Collect all e-waste

• Only charge for hazardous e-waste to cover recycling

• Record and log (tax deductible)

• Test all e-waste

• If not working- properly sort for recycling

• If working- research fair market price

• Post on Craigslist or Amazon

Our Process

Growth of Business

Jan-

12

Mar

chMay Ju

ly

Sept

embe

r

Novem

ber

Jan-

13

Mar

chMay Ju

ly

Sept

embe

r0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Customers

Growth of Business

Jan-

13

Mar

chMay Ju

ly

Sept

embe

r

Novem

ber

Jan-

13

Mar

chMay Ju

ly0

10,000

20,000

30,000

40,000

50,000

60,000

70,000

80,000

90,000

Pounds Collected

Growth of Business

0

100,000

200,000

300,000

400,000

500,000

600,000

Total Pounds Collected

Growth of Business

Jan-

12

Mar

chMay Ju

ly

Sept

embe

r

Novem

ber

Jan-

13

Mar

chMay Ju

ly $-

$2,000

$4,000

$6,000

$8,000

$10,000

$12,000

$14,000

$16,000

$18,000

$20,000

Revenue

Growth of Business

2011-2012 2012-2013 2013-2014* only 2 months

of revenue

$-

$10,000

$20,000

$30,000

$40,000

$50,000

$60,000

$70,000

$80,000 Resold

Recycled

Steps you can take• Find a space on campus

to store e-waste collected

• Register with the DTSC and any state certifications

• Work with IT, Procurement, EHS departments

• Find a recycler with proper certifications

willing to help you set up the collection center

• Work with Residential areas to collect e-waste at move-out

• Resell back to students in fall

• Reach out to local community

• Businesses

• Schools

• Residents

• Educate and Promote

Recycler Necessities• All e-waste kept domestically

• Recycler certifications:

• R2/RIOS

• ISO

• E-Steward

• Follow NAID or Department of Defense standards for hard drive wiping/destruction

• Recycler is willing to have random audits/visits to make sure they are following proper standards

What’s Next?

•New Partnerships• Revenue Generating• Service Providing

•Rebranding• Commercials• Web Redesign

•Zero Waste?

University of San Diego


Michael Catanzaro

[email protected]

Paula Morreale

[email protected]

www.sandiego.edu/ewaste