VAWS - Solid Waste and Recycling Team Keeps UT Running Before the Rest of Campus Wakes Up

Published:
November 10, 2025
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Stewardship: We conduct our business in a manner that is reflective and protective of the public trust in us as stewards of the University's facilities.

Part of the Values at Work Series


Solid Waste and Recycling Team Keeps UT Running Before the Rest of Campus Wakes Up
 

When most of campus is still quiet, the Solid Waste and Recycling (SWR) team is already on the move. By 4:30 a.m., trucks are rolling out of the Facilities Complex, crews are checking routes, and the day’s work is underway. Their mission: keep The University of Texas at Austin’s 150-plus buildings clean, safe, and ready for the day ahead. 

Living the Value: Stewardship

Damon Moseley, an SWR driver, unloads a golf cart full of trash into the back of an SWR refuse truck on Sunday morning during the stadium clean-out.
Damon Moseley, an SWR driver, unloads a golf cart full of trash into the back of an SWR refuse truck on Sunday morning during the stadium clean-out.

The SWR team works with a deep sense of responsibility, not only to keep the University clean, but to do it in a way that protects resources, reduces waste, and supports UT’s commitment to sustainability. From managing complex recycling streams to finding safer and smarter ways to service waste enclosures (also known as corrals), they are constantly looking for ways to improve.

Last year alone, SWR collected and processed more than 6,500 tons of material, with nearly 2,000 tons diverted from landfills through recycling and composting.

Behind the Scenes

The job isn’t as simple as emptying dumpsters. Drivers and workers navigate tight service drives, coordinate on construction projects, and adapt to events that change normal operations, such as football games, commencement, or major building renovations.

On any given day, a route can involve:

  • Servicing 90-plus waste, recycling, and compost points.

  • Emptying 600-plus dumpsters.

  • Handling unexpected, oversized items.

  • Adjusting schedules to accommodate road closures and event setups.

  • Safely navigating a commercial vehicle around class changes with 55,000 students plus staff.

  • Using the knowledge of the campus to gain access to each waste corral.

“Our job is about more than just hauling trash,” said Milton Roberson Jr., SWR team lead. “We’re problem solvers. We figure out how to get the job done no matter what’s in the way.”

Milton Roberson Jr. (left), SWR team lead, and Tim Williams, an SWR worker, stand under the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium’s north loading docks, preparing for the next load of trash after a home football game. SWR crews work post-game Saturday and return on Sunday to complete the removal of all waste.
Milton Roberson Jr. (left), SWR team lead, and Tim Williams, an SWR worker, stand under the Darrell K Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium’s north loading docks, preparing for the next load of trash after a home football game. SWR crews work post-game Saturday and return on Sunday to complete the removal of all waste.


Teamwork in Action

Milton Roberson Jr., SWR team lead, secures the door on a box truck used to retrieve 1.5-yard dumpsters from a special campus event. Tim Williams, an SWR worker, operates the lift gate while SWR workers Lawrence Clark and Richard Hernandez return dumpsters to the storage yard for future use. An empty 1.5-yard dumpster weighs 300 pounds.
Milton Roberson Jr., SWR team lead, secures the door on a box truck used to retrieve 1.5-yard dumpsters from a special campus event. Tim Williams, an SWR worker, operates the lift gate while SWR workers Lawrence Clark and Richard Hernandez return dumpsters to the storage yard for future use. An empty 1.5-yard dumpster weighs 300 pounds.

The crew works as a small but highly coordinated unit of nine people. Commercial Driver License (CDL) drivers handle the rear-load trucks while workers support collection, sort recyclables, and maintain service sites. In emergencies, anyone can step up to cover a route, thanks to cross-training.

This flexibility keeps operations running smoothly, even during staffing shortages or equipment downtime. Quincy Styles, an SWR worker and CDL-licensed driver, explained it best: “If a truck breaks down or someone’s out sick, we adjust. We have each other’s backs.”

Making an Impact

Quincy Styles, an SWR worker, rides on a trash truck heading under DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium after a home football game
Quincy Styles, an SWR worker, rides on a trash truck heading under DKR-Texas Memorial Stadium after a home football game.

In addition to keeping campus clean, the team has:

  • Introduced new safety procedures for oversized and heavy waste. 

  • Assisted with emergency cleanups during storms and flooding.

The team also worked together on a project to improve service routes to reduce fuel use and emissions using a route software program. The project improved accuracy in routing, reduced manual tracking, and positioned SWR to operate with greater efficiency and accountability. It supports campus sustainability goals and sets the foundation for long-term improvements in waste and recycling services.

"Our team is a rare strength, not a hidden cost. By hauling our own waste and pioneering campuswide efficiency, we do more than simply manage waste. We are reclaiming resources, generating savings, and reinvesting that value directly back into the Forty Acres. We are enabling the academic research that is seen by all because of the silent work done by quiet professionals,” said Jeff Alford, SWR supervisor. “When the campus begins to wake up every morning, our job is nearly done.”

Trent Columbus (left), an SWR driver, and Jeff Alford, SWR supervisor, visit campus waste corrals on Trent’s first day at UT. The photo was taken at the LBJ Presidential Library.
Trent Columbus (left), an SWR driver, and Jeff Alford, SWR supervisor, visit campus waste corrals on Trent’s first day at UT. The photo was taken at the LBJ Presidential Library.
Jeff Alford (left), SWR supervisor, and Milton Roberson Jr., SWR team lead, wait in a pickup truck for the next trash valet load during a home football game. They haul trash and recycling from the stadium to roll-off dumpsters on Red River Street, hand-sorting the bags to ensure materials are properly separated.
Jeff Alford (left), SWR supervisor, and Milton Roberson Jr., SWR team lead, wait in a pickup truck for the next trash valet load during a home football game. They haul trash and recycling from the stadium to roll-off dumpsters on Red River Street, hand-sorting the bags to ensure materials are properly separated.


Why It Matters: Serving With Care

Operational excellence is at the forefront of the SWR team’s daily mission. Their dedication reflects the One Great Team value of Serving With Care. As campus stewards, they care for the University’s resources and environment while ensuring that students, faculty, and staff can focus on their work in a clean, safe setting. It’s a responsibility they take seriously every day. 

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Values
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Campus Support Services Solid Waste and Recycling Values at Work Series Stewardship One Great Team Values Serve With Care