Duke maintains a strong commitment to helping and improving the environment through departments like Sanitation and Recycling, which work closely together to promote proper waste management and reduction.
As part of the University Environmental Services organization within Facilities Management, the two units help manage solid waste and sustainability efforts at Duke while providing support for university-wide special events and routine preventative maintenance of sanitation and recycling equipment. Sanitation and Recycling also manage a composting operation to turn landscaping material into useable top soil.
Sanitation
Sanitation Services strive to create and maintain conditions that are safe, clean, ecologically sound and aesthetically pleasing while working toward more adaptive uses of all recyclable materials.
The office analyzes waste streams for the university and health system, removing more than 10,000 tons of solid waste and recycling over 1,200 tons from the university and health system every year. The Sanitation unit also collects and hauls non-hazardous waste to local landfills.
Recycling
Taking care of the environment is an important part of what we do in Facilities Management. Through Duke Recycles, Duke diverts more than 1,200 tons of traditional recyclables like magazines or aluminum from the Durham landfill every year, including many non-traditional recyclables, such as food compost, motor oil and tires. Recycling these items reduces our waste stream by an additional 5,000 tons.