Award-Winning Accomplishments Toward Zero Waste

Stanford is building a model wasteless community, aiming to reach zero waste. The university consistently diverts over 65% of waste away from landfill. Stanford’s efforts toward a zero waste campus have achieved the following recognitions:

Stanford has been recognized for empowering future zero waste industry leaders by receiving the 2024 Outstanding Higher Education Award from the National Recycling Coalition. This award recognizes outstanding programs that connect higher education and the waste reduction, reuse, recycling, and compost industry.

In 2025, Stanford won first place for recycling per person (compared to other large universities) in the Campus Race to Zero Waste.

The California Resource Recovery Association awarded the Outstanding Waste Prevention Award for Stanford’s Cardinal Clean – an ozone-based green cleaning solution that reduces waste and harsh chemicals.

Additional Notable Recognitions

• First Place, Per Capita Recycling (Large Campus), Campus Race to Zero Waste (2025)
• Second Place, Per Capita Recycling (Large Campus), Campus Race to Zero Waste (2024)
• Second Place, Food Organics (Large Campus), Campus Race to Zero Waste (2024)
• First Place, Food Organics (Large Campus), Campus Race to Zero Waste (2023)
• Second Place, Per Capita Recycling (Large Campus), Campus Race to Zero Waste (2023)
• First Place, Per Capita Category (Large Campus), Campus Race to Zero Waste (2022)
• Environmental Impact Achievement Award, RightCycle by Kimberly Clark (2021)
• First Place, Per Capita Category (Large Campus), Campus Race to Zero Waste (2021)
• First Place, Food Organics Category, Campus Race to Zero Waste (formerly RecycleMania) (2020)
• Outstanding School Recycling Program Award, The California Resource Recovery Association (2019)
• Honorable Mention: Education/Awareness Campaign, RecycleMania (2017)
• College/University Recycling Award, American Forest and Paper Association (2009)