Our goal is to reduce landfill waste by 50% by 2025. Our cumulative progress as of the end of 2022 is:
- In 2022, the Museum tracked approximately 250 tons of combined trash and organics and 120 tons of recyclables, which represents a decrease of 66% and 73%, respectively, from a 2018 baseline.
- These numbers are positive, but efforts toward meaningful waste reduction are a continual work in progress. We are working to improve the diversion rate for recycling, improve tracking practices and the accuracy of measured volumes and weights of disposed materials.
- Exhibition Design and Planning has made great strides towards its goal of zero waste (90% diversion from landfill) through the standardization of exhibition building using evergreen walls and prioritizing reuse of existing frames, vitrines, and other resources such as metal studs and hardware.
- The Museum’s 2018 baseline measurement for exhibition, construction, and demolition (C&D) waste was 305 tons. In 2022, the Museum’s C&D hauler reported that it collected 78.4 tons of waste from the Museum, which represents a decrease of 74%. Of the waste that was collected, 59.4 tons was recyclable, a diversion from landfill of approximately 76% of the total waste.