This document summarizes the efforts of a Portland State University capstone project to improve recycling and composting at Portland Trail Blazers basketball games at the Rose Garden Arena. The project team observed existing recycling systems, collected data on contamination rates, and recommended passive educational strategies and targeted employee training to increase waste diversion. Their analysis found new signage reduced mistakes but further education was needed, especially around composting break room waste. Suggested improvements included improved container signage, video messages, and interactive educational activities during games.

1. "Rose Quarter Public Recycling Improvement"
Portland State University
Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling
Capstone
Fall 2010

2. Final Report
• Background
• Current Systems and Conditions
• Overview of Capstone Activities
• Report Out
o Data Collection
o Conclusions
o Suggested Improvements
• Questions & Answers

3. Background
• PSU Solid Waste Reduction and Recycling Capstone
- Fall 2010
• Partnering with the Rose Garden Arena and its
contracted food services vendor, Ovations
• Goal of improving recycling and composting by guests
in the largest public areas of the Rose Garden during
Portland Trailblazers basketball games
• Pursued that goal through hands on work in the facility
o Observing existing systems and operations
o Interacting with the guests and staff
o Identifying possible new activities and system changes
o Piloting selected improvements

4. Current Systems and Conditions
• LEED Gold certification of arena in Spring 2010
o First sports venue in the U.S to be awarded this recognition
• Dedication aimed towards:
o Energy
o Water
o Transportation
o Waste
• Ultimate Goal becoming zero waste facility
o Entire facility introduced public composting in Spring 2010
o Switched majority of service ware to compostables
Compostable service ware examples, excluding gray decorative collector Blazers cup.

5. Current Systems and Conditions
• Three main areas of high public traffic and waste disposal
o 100 level
o 200 level (Club level)
 with restaurant style seating and serving staff
o 300 level
• Guests dispose waste into newly designed and introduced
four part containers
• Majority of waste being generated:
 Compostable:
 Food
 Food containers
 Drink cups
 Landfill:
 Many candy wrappers
 Various printed handouts
 Snow cones and cotton candy

6. Overview of Capstone Activities
• Teamed up with the Rose Garden to interface with
Trailblazer fans about waste reduction and recycling,
observe the facility's existing systems and make
suggested improvements

7. Overview of Capstone Activities
• Observing Existing Systems &
Operations
o Identified waste reduction and recycling
efforts that would be beneficial for us to
focus on during the Trailblazers games
o Each game we performed different
activities
 Recycling and composting education
to guests
 Interacting with guests & employees
throughout facility
 Data collection about disposal in four
part containers

8. • Identified new physical system changes:
o Removal of "old" recycling and trash areas
o Repositioning containers during different parts of the
game
o New signage for public containers
• Developed activities that would fit in well with the current
atmosphere of the Rose Garden to help increase
awareness about the facility’s recycling and composting
programs
Overview of Capstone Activities

9. Data Collection

10. Data Collection
Data Collection Survey Sheet

11. Data
Data Entry Excel Spreadsheet

12. Data Analysis
Observed disposals over time

13. Data Analysis
Observed disposals over time

14. Data Analysis
Observed disposals over time

15. Data Collected
Thursdays:
Old Signs vs. New Signs
11/18/2010
• P(mistake)= 31%
Distribution of mistakes:
• P(compost in landfill)=
50%
• P(compost in recycling)=
13.7%
11/4/2010
• P(mistake)= 51%
Distribution of mistakes:
• P(compost in
landfill)= 62%
• P(compost in recycling)=
13.9%

16. Data Collected
Thursdays: Sign Comparison
• Among the mistakes made during Thursday games, the
majority of the mistakes were compostables going into
landfill bin
• Percentage of mistakes decreased after adapting new
signs
• However, 24% of the mistakes went into bins with new
signs (from 11/18/2010)

17. Data Collected
Break rooms
11/4/2010
• P(mistake)= 27%
Major issue:
• P(compost into landfill)=
87%

18. Data Collected
Distribution by Employee
11/4/2010
• 21% of the mistakes
were made by the red
vest guest services
• 33% were made by
Ovation employees

19. Data Collected
Mistakes per Employee Group
11/4/2010
• 31% of the Ovation staff
are making a mistake
• 41% for red vests
• 54% for gray jackets
11/18/2010
• Not enough
information to
compare.

20. Data Collected
Saturdays:
Old Signs vs. New Signs
11/6/2010
• P(mistake)= 53%
Distribution:
• P(compost in landfill)= 75%
• P(compost in recycling)=
17%
11/20/2010
• P(mistake)= 37%
Distribution:
• P(compost in landfill)= 41%
• P(compost in recycle)=
26%

21. Data Collected
Saturdays: Signs Comparison
• Accuracy of disposal choice improved after adapting new signs
• 51% of the mistakes made on 11/20 went into bins with new
signs, while both were monitored
• Major problem of compostables going into landfill container
improved after introducing the new signs

22. Data Collected
Break rooms
11/6/2010
• P(mistake)= 41%
Major issue:
• P(compost into landfill)=
77%
11/20/2010
• P(mistake)= 28%
Major issue:
• P(compost into landfill)=
76%

23. Data Collected
Distribution by Employee
11/6/2010
• 31% of the mistakes
were made by the red
vest guest services
• 43% were by the
Ovation employees
11/20/2010
• 31% were made by
the red vest guest
services
• 37% were made by
the Ovation
employees

24. Data Collected
Mistakes per Employee Group
11/6/2010
• 34% of the Ovation staff
are making a mistake
• 44% for red vests
• 61% for gray jackets
11/20/2010
• 24% for Ovation
staff
• 30% for red vests
• 50% for gray
jackets

25. Data Collected
Tuesday: First Prototype and
without break room information
11/9/2010
• P(mistakes)= 44%
Distribution:
• P(compost into landfill)=
72%
• P(compost into recycling)=
17%

26. Data Collected
Break rooms
11/9/2010
• P(mistakes)= 33%
Major issue:
• P(compost waste into landfill)= 74%
• Not enough information or data on employee type
• Number of gray jackets employees was low, but the majority
of these employees did not sort correctly across all the
collection days

27. Data Collected
Possible Errors in the Data Analysis
• Bias due to the structure of the data collection
process
• Irregularities due to coding errors
• Some portions of the collected data were not
included in this analysis due to coding errors
and incorrect coding

28. Concluding Remarks
We have a few simple, yet urgent, suggested
improvements to increase disposal accuracy
and total waste diversion rates.

29. • Passive Guest Opportunities:
o Improved containers signage
o Video messaging
o Compost table toppers
o Point of sale composting advertisements
o Composting program information on tickets
and literature
• Benefits of This Approach:
o Major focus on new compostable products
that are most confusing for public
o Minimal staff and resources needed after
implementation
o Full facility coverage
Suggested Improvements
based on Capstone Activities:
We Compost!

30. Suggested Improvements
based on Capstone Activities:
• Half-time compost
education skit
• Compost educational
cheers
• Introduce new face painting
stencils
• Material sorting games
• Compost stickers
• Point of disposal intercepts

31. Suggested Improvements based on
Capstone Activities:
• Employee Education
o Waste contests
o Pre-shift meetings
o Sustainable purchasing
guidelines
• Disposal Point Improvements
o Removal of old, poorly labeled trash
and recycling stations
o Repositioning of new containers
• Education at Point of Purchase
o Club level entry table
o Entry into building

32. Questions or Comments?
Thank you from the
Fall 2010 PSU Solid Waste Reduction and
Recycling Capstone Class