Dear Colleagues –
Thank you for your attention and care to campus operations during the COVID-19 response and beyond. As we continue to gear up for winter term, I wanted to share an update on the discontinuance of servicing trashcans in individual offices and cubicles on the Corvallis campus. On Aug. 26, 2020, we notified employees that trash cans will no longer serviced in private offices and cubicles to allow custodial staff to perform daily deep cleaning measures to help reduce the spread of COVID-19. Employees were directed to use larger trashcans in lunchrooms, breakrooms and other common spaces to dispose their trash.
This change to trashcans operations will continue indefinitely. By choosing to not provide plastic trash can liners, the university has realized savings in multiple areas. These savings have been diverted to expanding custodial operations. In addition, the reduction in plastic waste due to not providing trashcan liners aligns with the university’s sustainability efforts. The time saved not emptying trash cans has allowed custodians to focus more of their efforts on disinfecting high touchpoint areas like elevator buttons and doorknobs. It has also helped the university reduce its carbon footprint.
If desired, we will begin removing trashcans over the next few weeks. Please set your can outside the office door in the hallway if you would like for us to remove it. Going forward, employees can choose to keep their existing can or provide a personal trash can in their office or cubicle. In keeping with our sustainability goals, no trashcan liners or trash emptying service will be provided by custodial staff.
Any employee with accessibility concerns regarding this change should contact the Office of Equal Opportunity & Access to inquire about an accommodation. Reasonable exceptions to the trashcan services are made on an as-needed basis; email facilities@oregonstate.edu to request an exception.
Thanks for doing your part in:
- Helping redirect labor to areas that can help reduce the spread of infectious diseases.
- Reduce Carbon Footprint
- Increasing efficiency of resources.
- Improving sustainability efforts.
- Reducing pests in campus buildings by eliminating food waste in offices.
- Encouraging recycling.
- Better utilizing university resources
Joseph Majeski | Director
Facilities Services |
830 SW 35th Street | Corvallis, OR 97331 | Phone: 541-737-7646 |
Joe.Majeski@oregonstate.edu | http://oregonstate.edu/facilities/
