Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling Design Guidelines

Current PDF Version of This Guideline
This information supports and supplements information included in the UNC-Chapel Hill Design Guidelines.

Note

All project-related documents except for architectural drawings shall be printed double-sided on recycled paper as required by state law and Executive Order 156.

Sections

Designers are to work with the University Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling to develop spaces for waste handling containers and service access, construction and demolition waste management plans and practices, and to ensure that access is maintained to active buildings during the construction process.

The University is mandated by the North Carolina Solid Waste Management Act of 1989 and North Carolina Executive Order 156 on State Government Environmental Sustainability, Reduction of Solid Waste, and Procurement of Environmentally Preferable Products, Section 4.b. (signed July 20, 2000) to establish recycling programs and meet waste reduction goals.

As set forth in North Carolina General Statute 130A-309.14, all state agencies shall ensure that employees have access to containers for recycling (at a minimum) aluminum cans, high-grade office paper, and corrugated cardboard. All state employees are required to separate identified recyclables materials generated in the course of agency operations and place them in the appropriate recycling containers

State agency facilities that routinely house the general public, such as highway rest areas, state parks and recreation areas, employment security offices, state historic sites, etc., shall implement programs for the collection of recyclable materials discarded by the public at all such locations (e.g., aluminum cans, glass, and plastic beverage containers) when feasible and practicable.

State agencies that operate or contract for the operation of food service establishments, such as snack bards, cafeterias, dining halls, etc., are encouraged to implement programs to recover and recycle leftover food when practicable and feasible.

Executive Order 156 also calls on all state agencies to:

“seek opportunities to reduce environmental impacts associated with capital improvements throughout project planning, site and building design, and construction. Agencies shall, to the extent feasible and practicable, implement project initiatives or modifications that result in energy efficiency, water conservation, pollution prevention, solid waste reduction, and land preservation during the construction and operation of agency facilities.”

The information on this page can be found in the UNC Design Guidelines, Chapter I. General Principles, Section F. Waste Management, A. Site and Space Planning for Recycling and Solid Waste Management.