Georgia Tech Places First in RecycleMania Zero-Waste Building Challenge

Georgia Tech was among the 100-plus colleges and universities that participated in the 2020 RecycleMania Competition. The competition ran from February to March with each school submitting metrics on waste, recycling and compost. This allows schools across the country to benchmark themselves against one another and share best practices. Georgia Tech won first place for the Race to Zero Waste One Building Challenge for the program at The Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design. We reported the weight of different categories of waste for 30 days from the building, as well as, completed a waste audit to assess contamination.

Beyond this honor, Georgia Tech placed in the following categories:  

• Top 5 most cardboard recycled 
• Top 7 most recycling overall 
• Top 10 Per Capita (less total waste produced per person)
• Top 40 most bottles and cans recycled

This highlights Georgia Tech's source separated program and the marketability of these materials as commodities that can contribute to the economy when we divert them from the landfill. A huge thank you goes to the Office of Solid Waste Management & Recycling, Office of Campus Sustainability, Kendeda Building for Innovative Sustainable Design, and Building Services, as well as, all students, faculty, staff and visitors who recycled while on campus. For the full results, please visit the RecycleMania Website.