Towers Trash Chute

           






PROBLEM:


Pictured here is the opening for the trash chute on the 12th floor of Vanderbilt's Carmichael Towers.  The problem here comes when students throw in trash bags that are too full or filled with glass bottles.  Students are just using it as an easy way to throw away whatever it is that needs to be diposed of, and this trash chute makes it all to easy to throw improper waste down.  There is a macroergonomic disconnect is that students just want a way to easily and quickly dump their trash.  The trash chute on each hall allows students to dump trash, in whatever form, for it to land all the way at the bottom of the chute for the disposal crew to deal with.  The disposal crew wants trash in a form that allows for it to be picked up and disposed of safely and efficiently.  Unfortunately because there is no system in place to control how students dispose of trash, trash gets clogged in the chute somewhere between the 8^th and 9^th floors and threatens to crush the disposal crew when it finally falls.  Also broken bottles and such pose a significant hazard to disposal crews. 




SOLUTION:


A conveyer belt system could be instituted that would allow trash to be lowered, one bag at a time, down the belt, and safely deposited at the bottom of the building.  Although this system would be more expensive to the Vanderbilt administration, it would allow for increased efficiency in trash disposal and increased employee satisfaction.  Also, as it stands, there is no display to let students know how to best dispose of their trash.  A simple way to improve the situation would be to have a sign telling students not to over fill bags and "NO GLASS."  Students still may not follow directions, but if the sign is clear then students would have to directly violate the directions in order carry out their improper practices.  Another helpful redesign effort could be to make the opening of the trash chute smaller.  Currently, the door to slide in trash bags is the same size as the chute itself.  This increases the likelihood that a student fits in a trash bag that is too large that clogs the chute.  If the opening were made smaller, clogging could be greatly reduced.  All of these changes would improve the safety and effectiveness of the trash chute.