Solid Waste & Labor Operations
Solid Waste Operations
Solid Waste Operations provides direction and services regarding the collection and procession of Waste generated on campus. The goal is to become a Zero Waste institution by implementing and utilizing a whole-campus approach to change the way materials flow through the University.
In 2015, more than 6,600 tons of solid waste were delivered by Penn State to the Centre County Refuse and Recycling Authority, while recycling nearly 12,000 tons. Recyclable commodities represented 64.3% of the waste stream, an increase of 7.9% from the previous year.
OMPEC
The Organic Materials Processing Center (OMPEC) is a self-sustaining operation processing food waste, leaves, scrap wood, pallets, logs and plant debris. The facility provides the opportunity to divert organics from landfills and a sound means to manage leaf and yard debris, which can then all be manufactured into mulch and compost. Annually approximately 4,000 tons of organics are processed and made into mulch and compost used on campus.
Labor & Equipment
Labor & Equipment handles a wide variety of general moving and equipment operation duties. These include:
- Set-ups at Recreation Hall, game day at Beaver Stadium, THON, Trash to Treasure, the Central Pennsylvania Festival of the ARts, Ag Progress Days, Special Olympics, and other various student events
- Moving of a variety of materials to and from storage areas at various locations on campus, including the Furniture Reuse program
- Moving of construction materials to job sites on campus and removing unused materials and refuse after construction is completed
- Operation of a variety of mechanical equipment, including fork lifts, back hoes, dozers, and cranes
- Snow removal from all campus roads and parking areas
