About
George Mason University has been taking active measures, including launching this multidisciplinary task force, to improve its waste diversion rate and green purchasing practices and policies. Mason launched the Circular Economy and Zero Waste (CEZW) Task Force in April 2021 to create enterprise-wide initiatives and develop plans and partnerships to accelerate university-wide progress.
Since then, the CEZW Task Force has developed and will continue to advance a ‘Buy Less, Buy Better’ strategy to improve the sustainability and circularity of items Mason does purchase. The Task Force also continues to develop partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, including businesses and peer institutions, to expand circular recycling and closed-loop waste strategies (e.g., compost), improve waste diversion rates (the amount of waste that is not sent to landfills), and supports the Mason community’s opportunities to pivot to a culture of durable goods reuse.
Task Force Goals
The CEZW Task Force has worked tirelessly with internal and external partners to develop best practice resources and eliminate waste at the source through its engagement with the university’s procurement processes. The Task Force’s current priorities are 1) to support green purchasing, thereby setting high standards for the sourcing of sustainable products, and 2) improving the rates of reduction, reuse, compost, and recycling to create a leading model for change.
Representative CEZW Task Force achievements over the past 24 months:
- The elimination of more than 9.1 million single-use plastic or polystyrene items, weighing 92,000 lbs., and a pivot to third-party certified sustainable alternatives within six months of the Task Force’s launch.
- Approximately 8 million single-use plastic or polystyrene items still need to be eliminated from Mason’s annual purchasing and replaced with more sustainable alternatives.
- The development of a ‘Buy Less, Buy Better’ strategy.
- The creation and implementation of standards, criteria, and a ‘Reference List’ resource for vendors to quickly pivot to better alternatives, including endlessly recyclable aluminum, compostables that are third-party certified and meet Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) and/or Compost Manufacturing Alliance (CMA) standards for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), and either Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified or 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content paper alternatives to mitigate deforestation for alternatives sourced.
- The establishment of new partnerships for solutions development, including internal and external stakeholders, hundreds of Mason purchasers, vendors, colleges, departments, offices, groups, composting sites, peer universities, municipalities, and other state agencies.
- Inclusion of zero-waste outcomes into various Requests for Proposal, and resulting contracts, including Promotional Items/Clothing/Embroidery, Dining Services, and Print/Mail Services.
- Installation of 23 BigBelly “smart” waste, recycling, and compost bins across 3 campuses.
- Development of new “Purple Trailer” glass recycling strategy and infrastructure.
Initiatives
Initiative # 1: Buy Less, Buy Better
The Task Force’s ‘Buy Less, Buy Better’ strategy involves award plastics reduction, green purchasing, and zero waste efforts. Key actions include:
Elimination or reduction of:
- BAGS (single-use plastic):
- Shopping and small (e.g., sandwich) bags – eliminated in July 2021
- All campus locations transitioned to either no bag, a reusable alternative, or Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) certified and/or 100% post-consumer recycled (PCR) content paper bags
- Large bin liners (≥ 23 gallons bags) – Bags taken out of low residue paper recycling streams; Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) certified liners are used for compostable stream; other opportunities to be evaluated.
- 2020: Mason’s Facilities Management has already eliminated over 50,000 lbs. of plastic film per year by removing large bin liners from low residue paper recycling streams!
- This effort was highlighted in the National Wildlife Federation’s “Stemming the Tide of Plastic Pollution” report.
- Bonus: The Facilities Management team also created collection and recovery sites for the plastic film the university receives, capturing between 500 – 1,000 lbs. per month of plastic film for reuse in manufacturing as secondary plastic items like composite decking and furniture.
- 2020: Mason’s Facilities Management has already eliminated over 50,000 lbs. of plastic film per year by removing large bin liners from low residue paper recycling streams!
- Shopping and small (e.g., sandwich) bags – eliminated in July 2021
- STRAWS (single-use plastic):
- All single-use plastic straws were eliminated in July 2021
- Compostable alternatives are available upon request, which is especially important for folks with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) needs.
- Compostable alternatives are available upon request, which is especially important for folks with Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) needs.
- All single-use plastic straws were eliminated in July 2021
- BOTTLES (single-use plastic):
- The task Force continues work to eliminate single-use plastic water bottles and other single-use plastic bottles, wherever possible. We encourage providers to use better alternatives (e.g., aluminum cans, glass, or fountain refill options).
- Mason purchasers, vendors, concessionaires, etc. should not purchase plastic water bottles with Mason funds or on Mason’s campuses.
- Mason continues to invest in water refill stations, incentivize the reuse of cups at vendor locations, and give out reusable cups and bottles, to support the best alternative: reusables that you refill!
- Explore the water droplet icons on our Sustainability Map to discover locations to refill your reusable bottles.
- Explore the water droplet icons on our Sustainability Map to discover locations to refill your reusable bottles.
- The task Force continues work to eliminate single-use plastic water bottles and other single-use plastic bottles, wherever possible. We encourage providers to use better alternatives (e.g., aluminum cans, glass, or fountain refill options).
- FOODSERVICE ITEMS (single-use plastic and polystyrene):
- 90% of all single-use plastic or polystyrene food service items were eliminated in July 2021 – the CEZW Task Force is working to eliminate the remainder with vendors and Mason purchasers so that the university can broaden composting practices.
- Mason pivoted all cups, plates, flatware, bowls, clamshells, lids, trays, etc. from plastic to Biodegradable Products Institute (BPI) or Compost Manufacturer Alliance (CMA) third-party certified compostable alternatives. Mason purchasers, vendors, concessionaires, etc. must purchase and use only acceptable BPI and/or CMA certified compostable items for events and in operations – this will help mitigate harmful PFAS in the compost stream, as well as contamination of both recycling and compost.
- Starting in Fall 2024, Mason Dining will pilot the use of reusable/returnable carry-out clamshell containers at Fairfax campus dining halls.
- 90% of all single-use plastic or polystyrene food service items were eliminated in July 2021 – the CEZW Task Force is working to eliminate the remainder with vendors and Mason purchasers so that the university can broaden composting practices.
- MISCELLANEOUS SMALL ITEMS (single-use plastic and polystyrene):
- Single-use balloons, confetti containing plastic, plastic or vinyl tablecloths, glitter, ribbon containing plastic, coffee pods, packing peanuts, plastic-based name tags, disposable mop supplies, etc. have been eliminated and should not be purchased by Mason purchasers with Mason funds, or for events or other activities held on Mason’s campuses.
- Single-use balloons, confetti containing plastic, plastic or vinyl tablecloths, glitter, ribbon containing plastic, coffee pods, packing peanuts, plastic-based name tags, disposable mop supplies, etc. have been eliminated and should not be purchased by Mason purchasers with Mason funds, or for events or other activities held on Mason’s campuses.
- OTHER? (single-use plastics and polystyrene):
- The Task Force will continue to roll out updates when other items are slated for phase-out (e.g., bubble wrap, mixed-plastic packing envelopes, etc.) as it evaluates acceptable and feasible alternatives. The Task Force will engage and inform the Mason community about any changes.
Support our ‘Buy Less, Buy Better’ strategy and explore better alternatives to items that were eliminated from use.
Open the PDF document in a new tab by clicking here.
Initiative # 2: Mason Zero Waste – Improving Mason’s Waste Diversion and Systems
Since reduction and reuse are the best strategies to achieve zero waste goals and reduce our waste impact, Initiative #2 is heavily affected by Initiative #1. The prioritization of source reduction and the elimination of low-quality disposable products from purchasing are parts of our ‘Buy Less, Buy Better’ strategy that can help Mason more efficiently and effectively manage its waste systems. Source reduction is our first priority through a ‘Buy Less, Buy Better’ procurement strategy, reuse of more durable items purchased is our second priority, and our third priority is improving rates of diversion for items that must be disposed of in a specific bin.
Waste diversion is led by Mason’s dedicated Facilities’ Waste and Recycling team and their efforts focus on diverting items with proven records of higher recycling rates (e.g., aluminum, post-consumer recycled (“PCR”) paper, cardboard, metal, etc.) from the trash. They are also leading pilots to test the appropriate disposal of third-party certified compostable items to reduce contamination.
Getting Initiative #1 right helps Mason focus on products with proven rates of recycling and revenue generation potential, and Initiative #2 returns raw materials to endlessly circular lifecycles or closed-loop systems with regenerative reuse potential.
Membership
Leadership:
The CEZW Task Force is Co-Chaired by Pascal Petter, Interim Vice President of Auxiliary Services and Operations, and Amber Saxton, Program Manager for Campus Efficiencies in University Sustainability.
Members and Contributors:
University Sustainability’s Colleen Regan and Facilities Management’s Kevin Brim and Steve Pulis are core members of the CEZW Task Force – but membership is not limited to faculty and staff! Are you a Mason faculty member, staff member, student, or alumnus interested in supporting an initiative or would you like to join the Task Force? Contact asaxton2@gmu.edu to learn more.
Need Support?
The CEZW Task Force is committed to supporting the university community’s efforts to make Mason a zero-waste university. If you have questions or need guidance, please contact the CEZW Task Force at asaxton2@gmu.edu.
Resources & More Info:
Catering: How to become an approved caterer
Plastics Free Mason: Year 1 Progress
The Circular Economies and Zero Waste Task Force is jointly led by Amber Saxton, Office of Sustainability, and Pascal Petter, Operations and Business Services. If you’re passionate about circular economies and zero waste, or interested in conducting research on these topics, please contact masonsc@gmu.edu.