After nearly 30 years with another disposal service, Vanderbilt has awarded its contract for waste disposal and recycling support service to Waste Management. The new contract became effective Jan. 1.
The majority of equipment owned by the previous supplier was replaced with new dumpsters and compactors over the holiday break. Waste Management is now handling all Vanderbilt service requirements throughout the central campus, Vanderbilt University Medical Center and Vanderbilt Athletics.
“When Vanderbilt’s prior waste and recycling services contract expired, we saw significant opportunities to save money and improve the efficiency and environmental stewardship of the institution and its operations,” said Bob Peabody, associate director in Procurement Services. “The evaluation of bids received from interested suppliers involved numerous stakeholders from across the Vanderbilt community, who are excited to begin partnering with Waste Management.”
Not only are there significant financial savings with this change, but Waste Management will allow Vanderbilt to further enhance recycling and sustainability programs through:
- The provision of expanded plastics and mixed-recyclables collection;
- Where appropriate, the installation of Smart Energy solar-powered compactors, the first of which is already in operation behind The Commons Center;
- Targeted programs and initiatives for increasing the availability of and participation in recycling opportunities on campus; and
- State-of-the-art online dashboards accessible by the Vanderbilt community that will provide waste and recycling metrics necessary to focus and monitor the effectiveness of Vanderbilt waste minimization initiatives and programs.
For more information about service from Waste Management, contact Bob Peabody in Procurement Services at (615) 322-2754.
If you would like information on sustainability or recycling programs, visit the SustainVU website or contact Andrea George, director of the Sustainability and Environmental Management Office at sustainvu@vanderbilt.edu.
Contact: Kendra Abkowitz, (615) 322-9022
kendra.j.abkowitz@vanderbilt.edu