Zero Waste Stadium
Zero waste is an ambitious goal that challenges businesses to find ways to reuse, compost, or recycle any waste generated. Since 2009, UNC Charlotte has been obligated to meet the UNC System Sustainability Policy, to develop “programs that work toward achieving zero waste”.
In 2011, the Student Government Association passed a resolution to make Jerry Richardson stadium zero waste, and it has been operated that way since the first game in 2013. Since opening, only two games have been under 50% diversion rate, and half of our games have diverted 70% or more of the waste generated during the game.
At football games, cups, tubs, and bottles and cans are collected for recycling, while all food waste and paper packaging goes to a compost facility. Volunteers and university staff work together to sort these materials to ensure they are directed to the correct facility.
In the 2023 football season, an average of 83% of game day waste was diverted from landfills. The diversion rates for each game in the 2023 season are listed below:
| vs. S.C. State (September 2, 2023) | 85% Diversion |
| vs. Georgia State (September 16, 2023) | 83% Diversion |
| vs. Navy (October 14, 2023) | 79% Diversion |
| vs. Florida Atlantic University (October 27,2023) | 71% Diversion |
| vs. Memphis (November 11, 2023) | 86% Diversion |
| vs. Rice (November 18, 2023) | 88% Diversion |
In December 2023, the Zero Waste Football Initiative was featured in UNC Charlotte’s Niner Times, which you can view here.
If you are interested in volunteering for Zero Waste sorting, please contact the Office of Sustainability at sustainability@charlotte.edu for more information.
