Waste Reduction

To ensure Seneca’s enhanced waste reduction program is a measured success, new signage and updated waste sorting stations are in place to direct students, staff and visitors on proper waste sorting, and help us increase the amount of waste we keep out of landfills.

Seneca recycles and reuses wood waste. Fallen trees are logged and reused either for chainsaw training, lumber for multiple projects or firewood. Wood chips are kept for use in landscaping of gardens and trail maintenance.

Sludge from the lagoon is being removed and properly injected into farm fields to continue processing waste effluent at King Campus.

Seneca partners with its campus food-services provider, Aramark, to offer plant-forward meal options. Plant-forward eating emphasizes and celebrates, but is not limited to, plant-based foods that reflect the principles of health and sustainability. A plant-forward diet is not necessarily vegan or vegetarian and can include small amounts (less than 60 grams) of animal protein. Cafeterias at Seneca offer a number of plant-forward options including express salads and others. Aramark corporate is driving this change.

To reduce single-use plastics, Seneca partners with Aramark to deliver the Sip Smarter initiative. The program encourages diners to select an eco-friendly straw with their meal or simply skip the straw entirely to minimize waste. Aramark corporate is driving this change.

Located within the Centre for Innovation, Technology & Entrepreneurship (CITE) Willie T’s is a campus café that uses only compostable or recyclable materials. The coffee is sourced from a local roaster that prides itself on a convection roasting process that reduces emissions by 70 per cent versus a traditional roasting method. The roaster ethically sources the beans and pays fair market value to farmers in a variety of countries across the world.