ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan Athletics department is striving to have zero-waste home football games during the 2017 season.
The athletics department has partnered with U-M's Office of Campus Sustainability and food service management company Sodexo in efforts to divert 90 percent of game-day waste from the landfill to recycling and composting facilities.
New bins that show examples of compostable and recyclable products are in the stadium, and landfill bins are no longer available on the concourse. They remain in the restrooms and back-of-house areas.
"The University of Michigan community has big ambitions for campus sustainability, and there is no bigger stage than Michigan Stadium. We are proud to extend our Zero Waste Program to all home football games," said U-M President Mark Schlissel.
Sundays after home games, the stadium will be cleaned and waste will be separated into compost, recycling and landfill bins.
The efforts began last season when the athletics department began sourcing and testing the durability of compostable products and packaging, and refining postgame cleanup operations to properly separate waste.
"Creating more sustainable operations and engagement opportunities for fans in one of the nation's largest football stadiums will not only reduce waste in our stadium but also have a cultural impact on our campus and beyond," said Rob Rademacher, executive senior associate athletic director and chief operating officer for Michigan Athletics.
Sign up for ClickOnDetroit breaking news alerts and email newsletters