Campus Race to Zero Waste
An annual contest each spring to reduce the University’s waste footprint
The University of Rochester joins college students and staff across the country in an annual competition to reduce the campus waste footprint through minimization efforts by donating, composting, and recycling.
About the program
Campus Race to Zero Waste—formerly known as RecycleMania—is the nation’s premier waste reduction and recycling competition among colleges and universities. The program has been helping campuses minimize waste and improve their recycling efforts since launching in 2001.
2026 Competition
The University of Rochester ranked as the number one large institution in the category of per capita recycling in the 2026 Campus Race to Zero Waste competition, with 27.57 pounds of recycling per person during the eight-week competition period (February-March).
The University of Rochester participated in the following competition categories:
(percentage of waste diverted through recycling)
Results:
- 28.58% diversion
- #37 out of 62 schools
(weight of material recycled per person)
Results:
- 27.57 pounds per person
- #4 out of 72 schools
- #1 out of 39 large institutions
Results:
- 2.74% viable food rescued
- #25 out of 56 schools
Results:
- 2.73% food waste diverted from landfill/incineration
- #46 out of 51 schools
Nationwide, the competition:
- Reached 1.4 million students, faculty, and staff
- Resulted in 15.7 million pounds of waste donated, composted, or recycled
- Prevented the release of 14,592.88 metric tons equivalent of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, equal to avoiding the annual emissions from 3,072 cars.
More information about the 2026 competition can be viewed on the Campus Race to Zero Waste website.