Josh Rebello, one of USC’s four zero waste auditors, spoke at the USC Sustainability Hub in the Student Union on Friday, giving an update on the university’s goal of reaching zero waste by 2028.
The university defines zero waste as diverting 90% of all waste generated away from landfills and incineration. USC President Carol Folt announced the zero waste goal in 2019, when the university only diverted 20% of its waste from landfills and incineration sites. Currently USC is diverting about 50% of that waste.
This has been achieved by assembling USC’s zero waste team. One of the team’s primary initiatives is spreading multi-stream waste bins around campus. These bins have three openings, one for trash, one for recyclables, and one for compost.