When Waste Wise Innovation first partnered with the University of South Carolina Upstate, both organizations shared a vision of a cleaner, smarter, and circular campus recycling system. As the pilot progresses, that vision is being explored through on-campus deployments and ongoing measurement.

Building on the joint pilot announced in this earlier post, Waste Wise Innovation has installed Topper Stopper™ units at multiple locations across the USC Upstate campus. This phase focuses on collecting data and observing how placement, engagement, and system design relate to recycling accuracy and participation.

From Observed Contamination to Structured Measurement

During the initial site evaluation, the Waste Wise Innovation team observed contamination in several recycling bins (i.e., non-recyclable items mixed with recyclables). In these instances, recyclable materials may be redirected from recycling due to improper sorting.

To address this, USC Upstate introduced Topper Stopper™ technology, a system designed to guide users at the point of disposal. In the first week, the team recorded early indications of increased recycling activity, which are continuing to be tracked.

Recent audits conducted at locations with Topper Stopper™ units installed reported the following at the time of review:

• No contamination was found in the audited recycling bins equipped with Topper Stopper™ units.
• The audited bins contained items identified as recyclable.
• Items in the bins matched data collected from barcode scans logged through the units.
• Paired landfill bins at these locations did not contain recyclables during the audit.

As the pilot program continues, these initial observations are being documented to understand conditions under which contamination may be reduced and sorting accuracy may improve.

Recent audit shows only recyclable materials in the recycling bins.

Smart Data for a Smarter Campus

The Topper Stopper™ units also generate item-level data intended to support operational visibility. Each scanned and sorted item contributes to a dataset that facilities and sustainability teams can analyze to understand what is being deposited, where, and how frequently. Early incoming data indicates variance in unit usage by location, which can inform decisions about bin placement and operational priorities.

This visibility may help USC Upstate track progress over time, identify opportunities for adjustments in bin placement or signage, and engage the campus community with accurate information about observed disposal patterns.

A Reference Point for Other Universities

USC Upstate’s rollout offers a live example of how a campus might approach recycling with behavioral design elements, interactive technology, and verifiable data collection. As this pilot develops, the observations may inform:

• Approaches to improving sorting accuracy
• Methods for addressing contamination at the point of disposal
• Tactics for student and faculty engagement
• The development of measurable, report-ready metrics for sustainability initiatives

Continuing the Work

“The early observations at USC Upstate align with our goal of making it easier for people to make informed recycling decisions,” said Waste Wise CEO, Dr. Leotis Bloodworth. “We’re continuing to collect data and learn from how the system performs across locations and time.”

With data collection underway, Waste Wise Innovation and USC Upstate are documenting findings to better understand how engagement, technology, and behavioral design may support campus recycling efforts over time.

Interested in learning more about Topper Stopper™ and current pilot observations?