Salt River Project Partners With ASU School Of Sustainability To Reduce Waste

October 02, 2013

Nearly 20 people sorted trash to separate recyclables for over two hours Wednesday morning.

trash Arizona State University School of Sustainability and Salt River Project employees sort through SRP's trash Wednesday morning at 27th Avenue Phoenix Transfer Station to pick out recyclable materials. (Photo by Alexandra Olgin-KJZZ)

Arizona State University School of Sustainability is collaborating with the Salt River Project to try and reduce waste going to landfills. 6000 pounds of the Salt River Project's trash is in the 27th Avenue Phoenix Transfer Station where it is being separated into 40 different categories.

Andrew Lane, a student at ASU’s School of Sustainability, listed some of the groups he is sorting trash into.

"You have aluminum cans, aluminum you have steel cans, glass of course, plastic," said Lane. "We are separating food waste, regular food waste. We are also separating compostable paper like paper napkins, paper plates, paper cups."

SRP’s Manager of Sustainability Policy John Hetrick said the company is trying cut down its waste.

“What we are trying to (do is) get a better understanding of the type of waste that is leaving the buildings and that we can begin to investigate and hopefully implement programs to reduce the amount of waste," said Hetrick.

Hetrick said SRP has recycled 258 tons and received a little more than $30,000 in rebates so far in 2013.

General Manager of Sustainability Solutions Extensions Service Dan O’Neill said he ties sustainability to a company’s bottom line.

“But when you talk to business executives and municipal leaders, sustainability has to pay to find its way to bottom line," said O'Neill.

O’Neill said the most effective recycling incentives to both businesses and residents are the monetary ones.

The ASU students will collect data on the waste and submit recommendations to SRP reduce their trash output.