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About Race to Zero Waste

Competition Overview

Competition Overview

Northwest participates in the annual Campus Race to Zero Waste, a competition that encourages colleges and universities to advance campus recycling and waste reduction efforts. During the eight-week challenge, campuses report data on recycling, food waste diverted from the landfill, and trash hauled to the landfill.

Northwest vies for top honors against colleges and universities around the United States and Canada. Students, faculty, staff, and campus visitors can help Northwest climb in the competition’s national rankings by placing every recyclable item in the correct recycling bin and striving to reduce waste. Items that cannot be recycled (waste) should be placed in trash receptacles to avoid contaminating an entire batch of recyclables.

2024 Competition Dates: January 28 - March 23

Race to Zero Waste Facts

#36  Northwest ranks #36 in pounds diverted nationally
#39  Northwest ranks #39 nationally for food organics (food waste composting)
35.8%  Northwest's 2023 Diversion rate
100k+  pounds of waste diverted from landfills every year at Northwest


Always Recycle!

Always Recycle!

Help Northwest excel in the national competition. Always recycle these materials in the correct bin:

  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Mixed paper
  • Plastic bottles and jugs
  • Aluminum cans
  • Glass bottles and jars

 

2023 National Program Highlights

3.4 M  students, faculty, and staff reached
200  colleges and university participants from 40 U.S. states and Canada
29.4 M  pounds of waste donated, composted, and recycled
205 M  single-use plastics kept out of the landfill


2024 Residence Hall Recycling Challenge

2024 Residence Hall Recycling Challenge

The seven residence halls and apartment complexes (Dieterich, Forest Village, Franken, Hudson-Perrin, Roberta, South Complex, and Tower Suites) will compete to see which can recycle the most during the eight-week Campus Race to Zero Waste. Residents of the winning hall or apartment complex (having accumulated the most points) will be treated to assorted donuts, a hot chocolate and coffee bar, and a perpetual plaque to be displayed during the next year.

 View 2024 PDF Flyer

2022 Results

Race to Zero Totals: 3.9 million pounds

Category During Competition National Rank Campus Totals for FY
Diversion Rate 28.50% 58 57.93%
Per Capita Division 1.065 lbs 113 -
Food Organics Diverted Score 55.00 47 -
Food Organics Diverted Pounds 26,760 - 189,500 lbs
Campus Totals for FY: 1,102,000 lbs

2021 Results

All Participants/Total Diversion Pounds: 28,914,583 pounds

Northwest Missouri State results

Category During Competition National Rank Campus Totals for FY
Diversion Rate 33.71% 49 71.09%
Per Capita Division 3.766 lbs 86 --
Food Organics Diverted Pounds  43,740 lbs -- 178,000 lbs

2020 Results

RecycleMania 2020 Competition Impact:

  • 48.6 million pounds of waste recycled and composted
  • 380 million plastic bottles removed from the waste stream
  • Prevented release of 70,875 metric tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (MTCO2E) into the atmosphere, equivalent to preventing annual emissions from 15,047 cars!

Northwest Results

The abbreviated contest still had a big impact Thank you for your participation!

FY Totals Bottles & Cans Cardboard & paper Food service organics (5wk.) Competition Diversion  (2wk.) Pre-Season Diversion Total Diversion Total Diversion %
2020 4,180 lbs. 8,040 lbs. 16,950 lbs. 29,170 lbs. 14,048 lbs. 43,218 lbs. 43.2%

2019 Results

Northwest Results

Dates Bottles & Cans Lbs. Cardboard Lbs. Paper Lbs. Trash Lbs. Compost Lbs. Diversion Lbs. Total Diversion % Total Waste Lbs.
01/20/2019 - 01/26/2019 340 1,200 1,600 8,810 3,820 3,140 - -
01/27/2019 - 02/02/2019 600 2,100 3,100 6,675 3,500 5,800 - -
02/03/2019 - 02/09/2019 3,340 2,600 2,600 12,920 780 8,540 - -
02/10/2019 - 02/16/2019 720 4,425 4,425 16,380 4,810 9,570 - -
02/17/2019 - 02/23/2019 540 2,900 2,900 12,470 3,240 6,340 - -
02/24/2019 - 03/02/2019 1,920 1,825 1,825 17,080 6,100 5,570 - -
03/03/2019 - 03/09/2019 850 1,450 1,450 17,790 5,500 3,750 - -
03/10/2019 - 03/16/2019 1,130 1,875 1,875 13,150 4,430 4,880 - -
03/17/2019 - 03/23/2019 1,410 1,740 1,740 22,360 5,390 4,890 - -
03/24/2019 - 03/30/2019 2,220 3,275 3,275 12,620 2,160 8,770 - -
Totals: 13,070 23,390 24,790 140,255 39,730 61,250 30.40% 201,505

Landfill Savings: $1,470.00

2018 Results

Northwest Results

Dates Bottles & Cans Lbs. Cardboard Lbs. Paper Lbs. Trash Lbs. Compost Lbs. Diversion Lbs. Total Diversion % Total Waste Lbs.
01/20/2018 - 01/26/2018 600 6,835 6,835 31,450 13,130 14,270 - -
01/27/2018 - 02/02/2018 460 2,800 2,260 8,700 2,320 5,520 - -
02/03/2018 - 02/09/2018 1,450 2,650 2,490 17,070 6,160 6,590 - -
02/10/2018 - 02/16/2018 2,010 3,100 3,270 19,170 7,160 8,380 - -
02/17/2018 - 02/23/2018 720 1,475 1,475 20,270 7,640 3,670 - -
02/24/2018 - 03/02/2018 730 4,285 4,200 21,370 4,880 9,215 - -
03/03/2018 - 03/09/2018 3,950 2,800 2,800 11,890 8,650 9,550 - -
03/10/2018 - 03/16/2018 670 3,440 2,290 21,200 7,500 6,400 - -
03/17/2018 - 03/23/2018 1,720 3,250 3,250 16,500 1,690 8,220 - -
03/24/2018 - 03/30/2018 810 2,400 2,400 23,450 5,600 5,610 - -
Totals: 13,120 33,035 31,270 191,070 64,730 77,425 29.30% 268,495

Landfill Savings: $1,858.20

2017 Results

Northwest Results

Dates Bottles & Cans Lbs. Cardboard Lbs. Paper Lbs. Trash Lbs. Compost Lbs. Diversion Lbs. Total Diversion % Total Waste Lbs.
01/20/2017 - 01/26/2017 1,260 2,825 2,825 21,030 6,650 6,910 - -
01/27/2017 - 02/02/2017 - 1,400 1,400 26,556 9,600 2,800 - -
02/03/2017 - 02/09/2017 1,880 2,720 2,720 21,270 10,020 7,320 - -
02/10/2017 - 02/16/2017 500 2,620 2,460 14,440 6,870 5,580 - -
02/17/2017 - 02/23/2017 2,140 3,950 3,950 28,420 13,510 10,040 - -
02/24/2017 - 03/02/2017 280 1,750 1,750 13,110 9,810 3,780 - -
03/03/2017 - 03/09/2017 220 3,295 3,295 20,000 10,890 6,810 - -
03/10/2017 - 03/16/2017 460 2,955 2,955 21,720 11,380 6,370 - -
03/17/2017 - 03/23/2017 460 3,440 3,440 17,820 8,540 7,340 - -
03/24/2017 - 03/30/2017 1,240 1,325 1,325 5,450 4,670 3,890 - -
Totals: 8,440 26,280 26,120 189,816 91,940 60,840 24.30% 250,656

Landfill Savings: $1,460.16

2016 Results

Northwest Results

Dates Bottles & Cans Lbs. Cardboard Lbs. Paper Lbs. Trash Lbs. Compost Lbs. Diversion Lbs. Total Diversion % Total Waste Lbs.
01/20/2016 - 01/26/2016 1,140 2,950 2,950 19,180 8,950 7,040 - -
01/27/2016 - 02/02/2016 620 2,820 2,820 21,310 6,660 6,260 - -
02/03/2016 - 02/09/2016 600 4,050 4,050 20,500 9,750 8,700 - -
02/10/2016 - 02/16/2016 1,780 2,305 2,305 22,580 9,210 6,390 - -
02/17/2016 - 02/23/2016 1,870 1,440 1,440 28,000 11,550 4,750 - -
02/24/2016 - 03/02/2016 1,870 2,530 2,030 20,280 8,560 6,430 - -
03/03/2016 - 03/09/2016 460 980 980 19,960 4,340 2,420 - -
03/10/2016 - 03/16/2016 500 1,760 1,000 22,330 7,710 3,260 - -
03/17/2016 - 03/23/2016 - 1,350 1,350 8,000 450 2,700 - -
03/24/2016 - 03/30/2016 1,490 3,650 3,930 12,270 11,080 9,070 - -
Totals: 10,330 23,835 22,855 194,410 78,260 57,020 22.70% 251,430

Landfill Savings: $1,368.48

2015 Results

RecycleMania 2015 is in the Books!

In 2015 Northwest, for thefourth year, entered the Recyclemania Competition Divisionin Food Service Organics (46th overall) and Cans & Bottles (44th overall). During the eight week competition, not only did Northwest divert44,680 lbs. of food waste from the landfill, it also diverted 8,148 lbs. of cans and bottles.During the competition period, Northwest also diverted 55,910 lbs. mixed paper for use by the alternative fuel pelletizing operation (Waste to Energy is not included by official RecycleMania guidelines).

At the completion of the 8 week competition period, the 108,738 lbs. of Food, Paper, and Recyclables collected brought Northwest Missouri State's total waste diversion rate to 43.7%.

While again there were no first place grand prize trophies for our 2015 efforts, it should be noted that of the Missouri universities competing in the Food Service Organics category, Northwest was #1.

University Rank
Northwest Missouri State University 46
Washington University 78
Missouri State University 97
Maryville University of St. Louis 102
UMKC 117
MU Columbia 123

CONGRATULATIONS!

The 7 Missouri universities competing in 2015 diverted1,568,698 lbs. or 1785.35 tons of waste from the landfill in just 8 weeks!

Northwest Results

Dates Bottles & Cans Lbs. Cardboard Lbs. Paper Lbs. Trash Lbs. Compost Lbs. Diversion Lbs. Total Diversion % Total Waste Lbs.
01/20/2015 - 01/26/2015 500 1,740 4,060 20,870 5,510 6,300 - -
01/27/2015 - 02/02/2015 1,720 2,090 4,870 21,250 7,460 8,680 - -
02/03/2015 - 02/09/2015 650 2,100 5,560 24,770 5,840 8,310 - -
02/10/2015 - 02/16/2015 1,240 1,710 3,990 17,680 8,050 6,940 - -
02/17/2015 - 02/23/2015 990 1,790 4,170 15,680 4,260 6,950 - -
02/24/2015 - 03/02/2015 1,050 3,330 6,610 13,790 4,710 10,990 - -
03/03/2015 - 03/09/2015 1,175 2,640 6,160 23,420 8,760 9,975 - -
03/10/2015 - 03/16/2015 740 1,690 3,940 13,630 5,940 6,370 - -
03/17/2015 - 03/23/2015 1,010 2,380 5,540 14,430 6,010 8,930 - -
03/24/2015 - 03/30/2015 1,370 1,290 3,010 7,530 1,520 5,670 - -
Totals: 10,445 20,760 47,910 173,050 58,060 79,115 31.40% 252,165

Landfill Savings: $1,898.76

2014 Results

Dates Bottles & Cans Lbs. Cardboard Lbs. Paper Lbs. Trash Lbs. Compost Lbs. Diversion Lbs. Total Diversion % Total Waste Lbs.
01/20/2014 - 01/26/2014 860 3,350 3,350 21,890 6,680 7,560 - -
01/27/2014 - 02/02/2014 350 3,510 3,510 13,670 9,350 7,370 - -
02/03/2014 - 02/09/2014 - 1,725 1,725 13,390 4,710 3,450 - -
02/10/2014 - 02/16/2014 940 3,185 3,185 8,710 8,960 7,310 - -
02/17/2014 - 02/23/2014 310 4,400 4,400 7,690 6,340 9,110 - -
02/24/2014 - 03/02/2014 1,950 2,090 2,090 22,080 3,350 6,130 - -
03/03/2014 - 03/09/2014 - 2,000 2,000 21,560 6,710 4,000 - -
03/10/2014 - 03/16/2014 210 4,290 4,290 16,700 9,530 8,790 - -
03/17/2014 - 03/23/2014 - 3,860 3,860 19,540 7,350 7,720 - -
03/24/2014 - 03/30/2014 1,060 3,175 3,175 16,000 - 7,410 - -
Totals: 5,680 31,585 31,585 161,230 62,980 68,850 29.90% 230,080

Landfill Savings: $1,652.40