Single stream recycling
(mixed plastic, metal, glass, and paper)
Waste Stream Diversion Report (January-December 2024)
What is waste diversion?
Waste diversion refers to the waste diverted from disposal at the landfill through sustainable methods such as reuse, recycling, and composting. It is calculated as:
A higher diversion rate means better waste management practices; a 100% waste diversion rate equates to being zero waste.
The University of Rochester collects data on waste diversion annually. Numerous material sources are considered, including:
Cardboard
Branches and wood
Confidential documents
Cooking grease
Organics
Furniture
Metal
Used electronics
Reusable sharps containers
Pallets
Construction and temporary projects
Hazardous waste
(batteries, lamps, oil, assorted hazardous waste)
Miscellaneous
(medical supplies, tires, clothing, ink cartridges, deposit bottles, food, sneakers)
2024 Highlights
In 2024, the top three categories contributing to total waste diversion were single stream recycling (49%), confidential documents (16%), and metal (6%). Diversion from single stream recycling saw a substantial increase in total tonnage compared to 2023, largely due to a change in material classification. Plastic/metal/glass and paper were previously tracked as separate categories but are now both included in the category of single stream recycling. In 2024, additional offsite locations were newly included in diversion data tracking.
By location, the metrics slightly differ. At the River Campus, single stream recycling accounted for 40% of total waste diversion, with confidential documents and branches and wood coming second and third with 20% and 11%, respectively. At the Medical Center, single stream recycling accounted for 46% of total waste diversion, confidential documents for 17%, and construction for 15%.
Construction projects greatly differ from year to year, and they can have a considerable impact on the waste diversion rate. In 2024, diversion from construction substantially decreased compared to 2023 because of the completion of major construction projects. In 2023, the demolition of the Emergency Department tower at Strong Memorial Hospital was completed, as was the construction of the new Saunders Center for Orthopaedics and Physical Performance. Accordingly, the University’s waste diversion data is reported as either including or excluding construction to provide a picture of the University’s regular operations independent from irregular special projects.
Total tonnages per location can be viewed in Tables 1 and 2.
Table 1. Waste tonnage excluding construction and temporary projects, 2024.
| Location | Diverted Tons | Landfill/ Incinerate Tons | Total Output |
| River Campus | 1,634.84 | 3,727.68 | 5,362.52 |
| Medical Center | 1,189.02 | 4,956.11 | 6,145.13 |
| Off-site | 386.53 | 1470.75 | 1,857.28 |
| Memorial Art Gallery | 19.49 | 55.11 | 74.6 |
| Eastman School of Music | 72.72 | 289.34 | 362.06 |
| Uncategorized Hazardous Waste | 22.52 | 67.7 | 90.22 |
| University Total | 3,325.12 | 10,566.69 | 13,891.81 |
Table 2. Waste tonnages including construction and temporary projects
| Location | Diverted Tons | Landfill/ Incinerate Tons | Total Output |
| River Campus | 1,647.02 | 3,779.19 | 5,426.21 |
| Medical Center | 1,384.27 | 5,418.02 | 6,802.29 |
| Off-site | 386.53 | 1,490.92 | 1,877.45 |
| Memorial Art Gallery | 19.49 | 61.25 | 80.74 |
| Eastman School of Music | 72.72 | 293.78 | 366.5 |
| Uncategorized Hazardous Waste | 22.52 | 67.7 | 90.22 |
| University Total | 3,532.55 | 11,110.86 | 14,643.41 |
Historical performance
The trend in the diversion rate over the past five years can be viewed in Tables 3 and 4.
Table 3. Diversion rate including construction/temporary projects, 2020-2024.
| Campus | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| River Campus | 39.5% | 39.7% | 36.7% | 33.3% | 30.3% |
| Medical Center | 16.1% | 16.0% | 15.5% | 33.3% | 20.3% |
| University Total Diversion Rate | 24.0% | 26.4% | 27.2% | 36.6% | 24.1% |
Table 4: Diversion rate excluding construction/temporary projects, 2020-2024.
| Campus | 2020 | 2021 | 2022 | 2023 | 2024 |
| River Campus | 38.6% | 36.5% | 36.0% | 33.6% | 30.4% |
| Medical Center | 17.2% | 18.1% | 17.3% | 18.1% | 19.3% |
| University Total Diversion Rate | 24.5% | 24.7% | 24.3% | 23.2% | 23.9% |
For questions regarding waste diversion, please contact Phil Piedmont (ppiedmon@ur.rochester.edu).