Building Services employees typically toss almost-empty rolls to ensure building occupants don’t run out of a product during the day. However, the new dispensers – paper towel and toilet paper – eliminate the need to toss almost-empty rolls. Both dispensers enable employees to refill the top of the dispenser with a new roll. The nearly empty roll at the bottom of the dispenser will be completely dispensed before the new roll drops into its place to be used.

UAB has more than 6,500 paper towel and toilet paper dispensers on campus. This change will affect all toilet paper dispensers and the majority of paper towel dispensers. UAB Sustainability is working to implement a battery recycling program for the remaining 250 dispensers that will remain battery-operated.

“This small change will have big impacts for our waste volume,” said Bambi Ingram, manager of UAB Sustainability. “The best part is that you shouldn’t experience any impact to how you interact with these dispensers. Anything that can have a positive environmental impact and minimal impact to users is a win-win for us.”

To ensure the removed dispensers were not dumped in the landfill, UAB Sustainability interns worked with UAB Surplus Warehouse to package and sell the items. At this point, all dispensers have been sold. According to Ingram, landfills are a top source of methane emissions, and methane has more than 80 times the warming power of carbon dioxide over the first 20 years after it reaches the atmosphere. UAB Sustainability’s Green Labs program diverts thousands of pounds of lab waste from landfills each year through its recycling work, and the team is working to expand efforts across campus.

“This is how our team approaches all of its projects, ensuring at all stages that waste diversion is considered and implemented,” Ingram said.

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