Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) is leading a university-wide effort to reduce the environmental impact of paper towel waste by installing high-efficiency hand dryers or a more sustainable single-use option.
In 2025, paper towels accounted for approximately 6.7% of all campus waste, more than 1,600 tons annually.
The Ohio State Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) Recycling and Refuse Services team and the College of Food, Agricultural, and Environmental Sciences (CFAES) have expanded composting efforts across most CFAES buildings on the Columbus campus. The initiative adds paper towel composting in restrooms and expands front-of-house composting in applicable areas.
Earth Day is Wednesday, April 22. In honor of this milestone, we want to recognize and appreciate the work FOD does to support our resource stewardship initiatives on campus.
This spring, the Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) team is proud to host a campus litter cleanup on April 17, 2026! Students, faculty, and staff are invited to join us for a hands-on opportunity to help beautify our campus. One-hour shifts will be available between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, making it easy to fit volunteering into your day.
This spring, the Facilities Operations and Development (FOD) Recycling and Refuse Services team is ready to help faculty and staff turn your office cleanouts into a sustainability win. In 2024, we diverted more than six tons of hard cover books from the landfill, proof that your efforts really make a difference!
Ohio State is pleased to announce the opening of a n
The Campus Race to Zero Waste is underway, and Ohio State is once again stepping up to compete with colleges and universities across the country. Over the next eight weeks, Buckeyes will work together to increase our landfill diversion rate and prove that sustainability is a team sport.
This competition isn’t just about numbers. It’s about everyday actions adding up to real impact. Whether you’re in an office, classroom, lab, or residence hall, your choices matter, and they can help Ohio State rise to the top.
Simple Ways to Make an Impact
The Ohio State University once again demonstrated that championship-level athletics and resource stewardship go hand in hand.
Across seven home football games, Ohio State achieved a season waste diversion rate of 92.73 percent, surpassing its 90 percent zero-waste benchmark. More than 257,000 pounds of material were diverted from landfills through recycling, composting, and reuse, while just 20,152 pounds were sent to landfill.
The results are in from Facilities Operations and Development’s (FOD) 2025 Waste Characterization Study, which examined waste and recycling across Ohio State’s Columbus campus. This study was made possible through funding from Coca-Cola Consolidated, supporting the university’s ongoing resource stewardship efforts.
The study revealed a clear opportunity: more than half of what is currently thrown away could be recycled or composted today using existing campus infrastructure and programs.
What’s in the trash?
Molly Kathleen, Zero Waste Manager for Facilities Operations and Development (FOD), was recognized by the University Staff Advisory Committee (USAC) in its Staff in the Spotlight.
According to Kathleen's nominator: "Their ability to create an inclusive, respectful environment empowers everyone involved to take pride in their role and contribute to the university’s mission.”