MIT Makes Less Waste

Total trash disposed of by MIT in 2005 decreased by 325 tons, or 6 percent, compared to 2004.

Tonnage recycled in 2005 totaled 3,288 tons and increased by 1,417 tons, or 76 percent, versus 2004.

Recycled Content Products Purchased in 2002 reached 75 percent of copy paper and nearly 98 percent of main campus copying center stocks.

Recycling of demolition debris hit 96 percent for the Media Lab Expansion Project (Buildings E10/E20) and Building 45 and 100 percent for the East Garage.

MIT attained its 40 percent recycling rate in 2005 as part of the Cambridge Climate Protection Plan.

MIT, partnering with Hands Across the Water, has established a book donation program that sends discarded volumes to charitable groups rather than landfills.

SAVE, the MIT student environmental group, conducts a year-end Stuff Fest where students drop off unneeded belongings for other students to use and remainders go to charity.

Freshman Seminar students and staff conducted waste audits at an office building, a dormitory, and the student center to assess how much recyclable material goes in the trash.

In 2002, MIT’s Housing Department installed 180 washers and 191 dryers that are energy and water efficient, saving an estimated $64,000 per year.