Customer Story
University of Michigan
From Confusion to Clarity: Helping 60,000 Students Recycle Right
Campus Recycling at Scale
At the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, more than 60,000 students, faculty, and staff live, learn, and work across a dynamic campus environment. Ensuring that everyone understands how to properly dispose of waste and recyclables is a constant challenge for the university’s Office of Campus Sustainability. Every day, students and staff encounter items they are unsure how to dispose of. “What can I recycle? What can I compost? What about this weird thing I found in my office, where does it go?” are questions the sustainability team hears regularly. With people arriving from different regions and countries, each bringing different recycling habits and local rules, keeping the entire campus aligned on proper disposal practices requires clear, accessible guidance. To address this challenge, the university looked for a digital solution that could deliver accurate recycling information quickly and consistently across campus.
60,000
Students, Faculty & Staff
300+
Materials with Disposal Guidance
Instant
Answers at the Point of Disposal
A Campus-Wide Recycling Challenge
Before implementing a digital solution, the university had already compiled an extensive list of materials and disposal instructions. However, the information wasn’t easy to navigate. Staff had amassed hundreds of items with disposal guidance, but there was no simple way for students or employees to search for answers when they needed them. As a result, the Office of Campus Sustainability frequently fielded emails and inquiries asking how to dispose of everyday items. Managing these requests took time and resources, while still leaving many people unsure about the correct disposal method. At the same time, the university wanted to improve recycling education and reduce contamination, particularly in compost streams where materials cannot be sorted before processing. The team needed a solution that would allow people to find answers quickly, ideally at the moment they are deciding where to dispose of an item.
“What the Waste Wizard tool does is something we had been looking to add to our website. After finding that the tool already existed, we thought, why reinvent the wheel? This is exactly what we want.””
A Simple Digital Solution
To make recycling guidance easier to access, the University of Michigan implemented Routeware’s ReCollect Waste Wizard, a searchable disposal database integrated into the university’s website. The tool allows students, faculty, and staff to simply type in the name of an item and instantly receive clear instructions on how to dispose of it.
By integrating Waste Wizard into the university’s sustainability resources, the team made recycling guidance accessible from any device and easy for the entire campus community to use.
Supporting Smarter Recycling Decisions
The university has incorporated the Waste Wizard into its broader recycling education strategy. Key capabilities include:
- Searchable recycling database allowing users to quickly determine how to dispose of specific materials
- Mobile-friendly access, making it easy to check disposal guidance on the go
- QR codes placed on posters and materials, directing users directly to the tool
- Integration with campus communications and outreach campaigns
- Real-time updates, allowing sustainability staff to add new materials and guidance as needed
The university is also exploring placing QR codes directly on waste bins, enabling users to scan and access disposal instructions at the point of decision.
Driving Engagement and Insight
Since launching Waste Wizard, the tool has become one of the most frequently visited pages on the Office of Campus Sustainability website, demonstrating strong adoption among students and staff. The platform also provides valuable insight into what materials people are searching for, helping the university refine its recycling education efforts. “I think it’s been really helpful in letting us know what kind of stuff people are looking for,” Richardson says. By analyzing search data, the sustainability team can identify common points of confusion and tailor messaging to address them. This information helps guide targeted campaigns and educational initiatives across campus.
Reducing Questions and Improving Access
The Waste Wizard has also streamlined communication for the sustainability team. “It’s streamlined the process so that folks don’t have to send individual emails,” Richardson explains. Instead of waiting for responses from staff, students and employees can now find answers instantly. The result is a better experience for both users and administrators. 3 The tool has reduced the volume of routine inquiries while giving the campus community faster access to accurate disposal guidance.
Building a Smarter Sustainability Program
Beyond answering recycling questions, the Waste Wizard supports the university’s broader sustainability goals.
By helping people dispose of materials correctly, the tool contributes to:
- Lower contamination in recycling and compost streams
- Improved recycling participation across campus
- More effective sustainability education campaigns
With over 300 searchable materials already included in the system, the university continues expanding its database as new questions arise. This flexibility allows the sustainability team to continually improve how recycling information is delivered across campus.
Conclusion
For a university with tens of thousands of students and staff, delivering consistent recycling guidance can be a complex challenge. By implementing the Waste Wizard, the University of Michigan created a simple, scalable way to help its community recycle correctly and access information when they need it most. The tool has improved accessibility, reduced staff workload, and provided valuable insight into recycling behavior across campus. As universities and municipalities look for ways to improve sustainability outcomes, Michigan’s approach demonstrates how digital tools can simplify recycling education and empower communities to make better disposal decisions.
ENGAGE YOUR COMMUNITY. REDUCE CONTAMINATION. SAVE TIME.
ReCollect is the most trusted digital communications solution for resident engagement and recycling education. From custom-branded mobile apps and digital collection calendars to the Waste Wizard and Waste Sorting Game, ReCollect empowers residents to make smarter disposal decisions while freeing up your team to focus on what matters most.