AbstractDespite winning numerous Waste Wise awards from the Environmental Protection Agency for major successes in recycling initiatives and public education programs, the King County Solid Waste Division, housed in downtown Seattle’s King Street Center was in need of improvements to their recycling infrastructure and promotional materials.

I evaluated the recycling program throughout King Street Center by:

• taking a physical inventory of signage and containers

• reviewing recycling and garbage collection rates

• surveying building employees

BackgroundThe high level of variance in container placement, signage, knowledge and access, and collection procedures led to an observed overall decline in recycling collection. Such rates decreased approximately 23%, while waste collection rates rose approximately 18% over the period of 2001-2006 (Fairman 2007).

Design and implementationI identified methods for reversing these negative trends as:

• designing improved, consistent signage

• the use and placement of standardized containers

• localization of information for building employees including a new county intranet website

• improved training for new employees

These initiatives were implemented through work with the graphics department, building management, human resource teams, and county building employees.

Conclusions and recommendationsMy work entailed evaluating survey data, conducting building audits, graphic design and interdepartmental collaboration and coordination. After detecting a downward trend in recycling collection, I designed and implemented a recycling campaign aimed at increasing recycling collection in the building.

Going forward, a Waste Wise team has been assembled to continue to monitor and evaluate recycling and garbage collection rates for the building. Additional recommendations for continued success and upkeep of the program include:

Increased training for new employees• Work with human resource teams to include building recycling information and website address in new employee orientation materials, and give new employees a tour of collection sites throughout the building

Monthly reminders• Monthly emails discussing changes and upgrades to recycling service for all building employees as well as highlighting successes

Literature citedKing County Solid Waste Division. King Street

Center Recycling Employee Survey. November 2006.

Fairman, John. Garbage and recycling collection data for King Street Center. Personal communication, March 2007.

Figure 1. Graph shows decline in recycling collection and increase in trash collection over the period from 2001 to 2006 for the King Street Center

Example survey results:

Were you given recycling information when you began working in KSC?

No 42%

Are printers set to double-sided/duplex printing?No 86%

Do you have a team to coordinate recycling and track progress?

No 65% (includes not sure response)

For further informationPlease contact slt1116@washington.edu. More information on this and related projects can be obtained at http://www.metrokc.gov/dnrp/swd/about/waste-wise/projects.asp. A link to an online, PDF-version of the poster: http://courses.washington.edu/envircon/spring07/terrell.pdf

Localization of information• Consolidated recycling information that was located throughout the King County intranet as well as county internet sites on a central website

• Worked with web masters to link this site to existing building employee information pages

Improved, consistent signage•Worked with graphics department to create standardized “how to” graphics for use throughout the building including:

• Commercial recycling guide: For use in common areas to show what items were collected in the building and differentiate between residential collection systems; also gives all additional materials collection locations

• Mixed paper only: For use on cubicle and copy room containers to highlight which paper items are acceptable for recycling in the building, excluding for example, paper coffee cups

• Trash only: For use on trash receptacles to discourage throwing away recyclable materials

This area is “white space” that adds tremendously to the readability of your poster. Resist the urge to fill it with text. Yea, this means you.

Evaluating Commercial Recycling Within the King Street CenterEvaluating Commercial Recycling Within the King Street Center Stephanie TerrellStephanie Terrell

0

50000

100000

150000

200000

250000

Pounds

2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006

Year

King Street Center

Recycling

Trash

Figure 3. Signage was placed on containers and duplicate or unnecessary containers were removed

Recycling Information

Clear, direct location

Figure 2. Incomplete and inconsistent signage and container placement found throughout building

Figure 4. Common problems: no recycling signage near collection sites and recycling information placed with several unrelated postings

Figure 5. Newly created informative signage placed near collection containers

The success of this project will be determined by evaluating future rates of recycling and garbage collection for the building. If this program proves successful, my next step will be to apply this knowledge on a larger scale to improve recycling programs in commercial and residential arenas. I acquired a firm understanding of the necessary components of a successful recycling campaign that will be essential in achieving this goal.

This research warranted the design and implementation of a more cohesive and standardized collection program. Increased and standardized use of containers

• Involved the placement of recycling containers in appropriate areas such as conference rooms, copy centers, break rooms and cubicles