Waste Composition Study
Client: The U.S. Pentagon
As the world's largest office building, which houses a wide variety of activities and sources of solid waste, the Pentagon represents a complex waste generation and disposal system. Cascadia conducted a waste characterization study in order to understand this system, and establish the foundation for future waste reduction, recycling, or waste diversion activities.. Cascadia designed the study to gather quantity and composition data for wastes associated with distinct functional areas within the building. Over two seasons, we characterized 200 samples of waste, allowing for waste reduction and recycling efforts to be specifically and effectively targeted.
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Virginia Mason Medical Center's cafeteria has no garbage cans, since 100 percent of the cafeteria's waste is recycled, said Steve Grose, administrative director for process improvement. The hospital composts 750 pounds of food a day instead of grinding it in garbage disposals, which had needed 4,000 gallons of water a day. The water savings pays for the bags and composting, he said.