ODRC operates under a comprehensive five-year plan guiding energy and waste reduction efforts. This plan is enforced through the 22-BUS-17 policy which established guidelines for solid waste and utility reduction procedures. Ultimately, the success of 22-BUS-17 hinges on collaborative efforts between central management and facilities.
To achieve its goal of zero-waste status with a 90% diversion rate by 2040, ODRC involved staff and incarcerated individuals in energy and waste initiatives. To ensure meaningful progress, ODRC started by establishing specialized staff positions focused on energy and waste.
To achieve its goal of zero-waste status with a 90% diversion rate by 2040, ODRC involved staff and incarcerated individuals in energy and waste initiatives. To ensure meaningful progress, ODRC started by establishing specialized staff positions focused on energy and waste.
ODRC continued by building strong relationships with facility staff, creating dedicated “Green Teams” at each facility comprised of staff and incarcerated individuals, and developing training programs tailored for incarcerated individuals to promote education, awareness, and participation in energy efficiency efforts. Designating coordinators, environmental specialists, and organized committees to carry out ODRC’s five-year plan has been instrumental in its success.
ODRC also initiated thorough audits to assess utility usage, waste management practices, and the environmental impact of each facility. This waste and recycling data was all regularly reported at each facility through comprehensive tracking software. Doing so helped ODRC track progress and maintain transparency and accountability.
ODRC’s results are best exemplified by three facilities: Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution (AOCI), Belmont Correctional Institution (BeCI), and Grafton Correctional Institution (GCI). These facilities played a critical role in implementing energy and waste programs that engaged incarcerated individuals, staff, and the broader community.
Allen Oakwood Correctional Institution (AOCI)
- AOCI saw a 1,231% increase in recycling tonnage and achieved a 13.36% waste diversion rate, exceeding initial goals.
Belmont Correctional Institution (BeCI)
- In FY23, BeCI achieved a 4.71% decrease in waste tonnage.
- The Roots of Success program, an educational curriculum focused on job skills, had 40 graduates in FY23.
- The facility also offers programs such as a vegetable garden that donates produce and a beekeeping program, largely led by incarcerated individuals, that teaches peer-to-peer skills and donates its produce.
Grafton Correctional Institution (GCI)
- GCI began its recycling program this year, diverting 219 tons of waste from landfills.
- The facility’s involvement in programs, including Roots of Success and a beekeeping initiative, helped foster local engagement and professional development for incarcerated individuals.
The majority of ODRC’s outreach efforts to gain internal approval and external support are done through communications and reporting. ODRC’s central operational team regularly releases progress flyers, newsletters, and reports that detail the efforts and effectiveness of programming throughout the organization. Facilities’ Green Teams hold quarterly meetings to review and report on progress as well.
Regarding external support, ODRC regularly partners with local residents for programs focused on incarcerated individuals.
ODRC uses data analytics and audits to measure the success of its programs. Key metrics include waste diversion rates, participation rates in educational programs, and the number of job skill certifications earned by incarcerated individuals.
ORDC’s engagement initiative helped drive action to build strong relationships with facility staff, create dedicated Green Teams at each facility, implement educational programs tailored for incarcerated individuals, and establish specialized staff positions focused on environmental management. ODRC achieved a 20% waste diversion in fiscal year 2023, and since 2019, ODRC’s waste reduction efforts have resulted in $1.6 million in savings (not including the cost or revenue from compost/recycling).
