"Effective Management of Recycling Operations"

Tuesday - December 4, 2007

12:00 pm Eastern/9:00 am Pacific

Approximate duration: 90 minutes

A Presentation of the CURC Webinar Series

This webinar workshop will cover the essential aspects of running an efficient recycling collections program regardless of the size or sophistication of the operation. Speakers will present on topics such as effective staff supervision, workplace safety, matching equipment to your operational needs and using mid-year program evaluations to benchmark progress toward annual goals. This webinar is geared toward experienced recycling coordinators, but those new to the field will find value in it as well.

Series Moderator

Christine von Kolnitz Cooley
Sustainability Manager
Medical University of South Carolina 

Christine Cooley is the Sustainability Manager for the Medical University of South Carolina.  She has overseen recycling at MUSC since 1995 and took on the sustainability position in 2006.  The MUSC Recycling Program has received numerous awards since her arrival.  MUSC has received over $300,000 in grants for recycling and sustainability projects. 

Upon graduating with a BA degree from the College of Charleston in 1992, Christine worked as the Recycling Coordinator for the College.  While working at the College, she was instrumental in establishing the SC DHEC Collegiate Grant Program.  In 2004, Ms Cooley and Karyn Kaplan of the University of Oregon co-wrote a recycling book titled Recycling and Beyond:  A College Campus Primer.   Ms. Cooley is a Clemson Extension Master Waste Educator and a member of the National Recycling Coalition's College and University Recycling Council (CURC) steering committee.  Ms Cooley was appointed to the City of Charleston Green Committee in 2007. 

Presenters

Robyn Hathcock         
Housing Recycling Coordinator                                                                      
University of Oregon

Robyn will be presenting on the basic elements of maintaining a safe workplace and how to design and evaluate collection operations to maximize safety.

Robyn Hathcock works for the University of Oregon (UO) Campus Recycling Program as the Housing Recycling Coordinator. In this role, she oversees the recycling service and education in the residence halls, dining centers and family housing complexes.  Additionally, she serves as the Recycling Program’s safety representative to the Facilities Services department, through her participation on safety committees, accident investigations and safety audits. 

She earned a BA from the Planning, Public Policy and Management department at the UO in 1997. Originally starting as a student employee for Campus Recycling, she has been the Housing Recycling Coordinator since 1998. In 2006, she was a recipient of the UO Outstanding Classified Employee Recognition Award.

Rob Gogan        
Recycling and Waste Manager                                 
Harvard University

Rob's presentation will cover goal setting and mid year program evaluation, as well as effective staff supervision.

Rob Gogan is Recycling and Waste Manager for Harvard University Operations Services.  He has overseen recycling at Harvard since 1990 and has promoted sustainability on campus since enrolling in the doctoral program at the School of Education in 1985.  Rob also runs Harvard’s Surplus Distribution program, which in 2007 donated over $2.5 million in furniture, clothing, books, computers, food, cosmetics and other reusables to non-profit groups, neighbors and the needy.  Rob helped start the Resource Efficiency Program, which saved Harvard over $125,000 in energy and waste disposal costs in undergraduate residences each year since FY 2003.  Over 10,000 readers get Rob’s monthly “Harvard Recycling Update,” which includes news of Harvard’s recycling and surplus programs plus the Campus Nature Watch, a compendium of flora and fauna sighted on Harvard’s grounds.  Rob’s immediate goals are to recover 60% of Harvard's waste for recycling by the end of 2010, reduce the University's waste stream to below 200 kilograms per capita at all campuses in 2008, and to beat Yale in the 2008 RecycleMania campus recycling contest. 

Rob lives with his wife Frann Addison and sons Josh and Zach (20 and 17) in Acton,MA.  He commutes to Harvard via bicycle, bus, commuter rail, walking, and snow permitting, cross-country skis.  He and his family sail Boston Harbor and Cape Cod bays in a zero-octane Micro cat yawl sailboat.

Al Matyasovsky
Supervisor Central Support Services
PennStateUniversity-
University Park campus

Al will use the Penn State recycling operation as a case study to discuss collection and processing efficiencies, as well as the factors to consider when making operational decisions such as whether to contract out, what bins and equipment to purchase, and which labor sources to use in different operational setting.

Al began working for PennState in the Operations Department in the Office of Physical Plant in 1984. He has held a variety of positions in his tenure.  Presently, as Supervisor of Central Support Services, he is responsible for labor, equipment and solid waste services. 

As the supervisor of waste initiatives at PennState, Al and his team have taken the recycling program from 12% to 48.6% diversion rate. Since taking over the MSW responsibilities in 1995, recycling capture has increased from 1200 tons to 6070 tons. He attributes his success to working with an outstanding work force that he refers to as “his team” and the wonderful, supportive University that he serves. Through innovation and process improvements, PennState has enhanced service and program offerings without increasing manpower or budget increases since 1989.

Quote: "He views himself as an ordinary man who works for an extraordinary place- PennState.”