In 2019, the Krone Engineered Biosystems Building (EBB) and Petit Biotechnology Buildings received a mini-grant from the Work Green program to pilot a Styrofoam recycling effort at Georgia Tech. Working with Georgia Tech’s Office of Solid Waste Management & Recycling (OSWM&R), Campus Sustainability, Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S), building management and custodial teams within Krone EBB and the Petit Biotechnology Building, and the Bioengineering and Bioscience Unified Graduate Students organization (BBUGS), led the effort focusing on two buildings representative of bioresearch buildings on campus. Both buildings have researchers that rely heavily on Styrofoam products for receiving and shipping temperature sensitive research supplies and materials.
Graduate student Hannah Viola using the Gaylord collection box in Krone EBB
Collected Styrofoam during the pilot in the Office of Solid Waste Management & Recycling’s storeroom.
From the start of the pilot on July 15, 2019 to December 20, 2019, 656.1 pounds of Styrofoam through the Krone EBB and Petit Biotechnology Building pilot program!! The pilot has demonstrated the need for sustainable Styrofoam recycling solutions within the Georgia Tech community and staff are exploring ways in which the pilot can be maintained and expanded in 2020.
Thanks to the program team for making this effort a success, including:
• Jackson, Cindy – Associate Director, Office of Solid Waste Management & Recycling
• Brodzik, Emma - Campus Recycling Coordinator, Office of Solid Waste Management & Recycling
• Samie, Sierra – Undergraduate Student Assistant, Office of Solid Waste Management & Recycling
• Hunt, Alejuandro - Area Maintenance Manager, Office of Solid Waste Management & Recycling
• Neville, Sarah - Sustainability Project Manager
• Lisk, Ryan - Laboratory and Chemical Safety Officer, EH&S
• Dunn, Jason - Facilities Manager, Krone EBB
• Clausnitzer, Logan - Building Coordinator, Krone EBB
• Gibboney, Susanne - Research Technician, Krone EBB
• Viola, Hannah - graduate student, Krone EBB
• Stathos, Mark - graduate student, Krone EBB
• Del Cid Oseguera, Ada - graduate student , Whitaker Building, BBUGS representative
• Baklini, Blake - Facilities Manager, Petit Biotechnology Building
• Wong, Michelle - Assistant Director, Petit Institute
• Biliya, Shweta - Core Lab Manager, Petit Biotechnology Building
• Rothschild-Mancinelli, Brooke - graduate student, Petit Biotechnology Building
• Archila, Juan – Director of Facilities and Capital Planning, College of Science
Digital signage used to inform building occupants of the Styrofoam pilot.