SFU Canada organizes Zero Waste President's BBQ

For the second year in a row, the 2014 President’s BBQ was a Zero Waste event, with no waste delivered to the landfill.

Thanks to the combined efforts of the SFU Sustainability Office, Facilities Services, Dining Services; Meetings, Events and Conference Services and Human Resources, all 100 lbs. of food waste and compostables were sent to Westcoast Instant Lawns’ “envirosmart organic” composting facility in Delta. Thirty-eight lbs. of aluminum cans were sent to Urban Impact’s Materials Recovery Facility in New Westminster.

Rachel Telling, SFU’s zero waste coordinator, says diverting these materials from the landfill has significant environmental and economic benefits.

“Recycling 38 lbs. of aluminum cans will save enough energy to power a TV for almost five months or listen to 1,140 full albums on an iPod,” she says.

“Composting 100 lbs. of food waste, which is one of the worst offenders in landfills because it doesn’t decompose properly, prevents large quantities of methane emissions being released. It also saves on landfill disposal fees—$108 per tonne, compared to $65 per tonne for organics disposal.”

Waste reduction efforts for the BBQ included purchasing items such as chips and condiments in bulk, and establishing a water fill station for attendees to fill their own bottles.

Zero Waste student educators were on hand at Zero Waste Stations to answer any questions.

“This event was part of SFU’s wider Zero Waste initiative and the university’s goal of diverting 70 per cent of its waste from landfill by 2015,” says Telling.

Since the program’s launch in January 2014, SFU’s waste diversion has increased from 35.7 per cent last year to 47.4 in May this year.