In a new partnership with Allied West Paper Corp., Aaron Uresti, director of Custodial & Resource Services and LEED® Green Associate™, has spearheaded a sustainable program at UCR. The campus community has already noticed changes in soap and paper products in UCR facilities due to this initiative. The new custodial program promotes sustainability, cost-effectiveness, and provides better product value.
The process involved thorough testing, including a 30-day pilot program where Facilities Services employees provided feedback to ensure the selected products were effective and user-friendly. Uresti and his team also toured Allied West Paper Corp., the largest paper factory west of the Mississippi, gaining firsthand knowledge about the manufacturing process and its local production.
“We hadn’t looked at our custodial products in 10 years,” Uresti said. Faced with budget constraints, he saw the opportunity to explore cost-effective options without sacrificing quality.
The program replaced 1,000 battery-operated soap dispensers, each requiring two batteries, with manual soap dispensers. This change eliminated frequent battery replacements, reducing labor costs for repairs, electronic waste, and thousands of dollars in disposal costs. The manual dispensers are easier to reload and recyclable, further promoting sustainability.
Another crucial change involved switching to locally sourced paper products compatible with the campus’s existing 2,000 roll towel and paper towel dispensers. The new paper products are thicker, of higher quality, and less expensive. By choosing products that work with the current dispensers, UCR avoided extensive conversion processes and related costs.
With one dedicated employee managing a total of 3,000 dispensers, saving time by eliminating the need for soap dispenser batteries and avoiding the reinstallation of paper dispensers proved invaluable.
Uresti partnered with Allied West Paper Corp. in Fontana, CA, which produces paper products with a reduced carbon footprint and adheres to sustainability standards such as FSC® certification. All of UCR’s paper products originate from the local, 620,000-square-foot facility.
In addition to the changes in paper products, the new lineup includes effective green cleaning chemicals, with approximately 80% of products meeting or exceeding the industry sustainability standard of 70%. The two most used chemicals are the hydrogen peroxide all-purpose cleaner and biodegradable all-neutral floor cleaner, both of which are Green Seal Certified and low odor.
Feedback collected from staff during trials confirmed that the new offerings are more effective and environmentally friendly compared to previous products.
“There is also dilution control, which means we do not hand mix our chemicals. We ensure we use the product correctly and accurately, maximizing its capabilities,” Uresti said. The concentrated products connect to machines located in custodial closets across campus, dispensing a precise dilution ratio when mixed with water.
Looking ahead, Uresti and his team envision a managed inventory system to further enhance efficiency. "In July, we’ll launch a delivery program that will stock around 75 custodial closets across campus. This will streamline our supply management and allow our staff to focus on more essential tasks," Uresti said.
The vendor will make bulk deliveries to the custodial closets twice a month, removing the need for custodians and supervisors to place orders for consumables. “Our day porters won’t have to deliver as many products to these locations. They will focus more on delivering chemicals, microfiber towels, mops, and small cleaning tools,” Uresti said.
With the locally sourced paper, new chemicals, and manual soap dispensers, the program results in approximately 20% annual savings over the previous custodial products. Overall, this comprehensive approach reduces operational costs and promotes a sustainable campus environment.
