| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 70.78 |
| Liaison | Julia Carlow |
| Submission Date | July 25, 2024 |
American University of Sharjah
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
1.44 / 8.00 |
Sahar
Ibrahim Project Coordinator Sustainability |
Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 148.76 Metric tons | 148.76 Metric tons |
| Materials composted | 0 Metric tons | 0 Metric tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 53.57 Metric tons | 53.57 Metric tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 1,864.69 Metric tons | 1,864.69 Metric tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 0 Metric tons | 0 Metric tons |
| Total waste generated | 2,067.02 Metric tons | 2,067.02 Metric tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
All waste generated at AUS is collected by the local waste management company BEEAH.
BEEAH Group has developed a self-sustaining model for the management of waste and zero-waste strategies. The company has made great headway towards a zero-waste solution, currently achieving a diversion rate of more than 76%.
BEEAH Recycling’s solution to deriving value from waste starts with a state-of-the-art Waste Management Centre.
Through a carefully planned phasing strategy, the company has built some of the world’s most advanced recycling facilities at this Centre.
These facilities maximize recovery and waste diversion, while driving the zero-waste agenda set by BEEAH Group. At these facilities, waste is sorted, processed, treated and regenerated in forms that further benefit the economy.
The third largest facility of its kind in the world, and one of the largest producers of recyclables in the region, the Material Recovery Facility operates using state-of-the-art recovery technologies. The MRF uses a combination of manual, mechanical and automated sorting and recycling techniques, to process over 600,000 tonnes of municipal solid waste annually; and recovers fibres, ferrous and non-ferrous metals, plastics, and other materials which are used for a variety of applications.
Launched in 2020, the Biomass Facility processes 200 tonnes waste daily, to generate alternative fuel. After segregating cellulous and carbon-based waste from construction, furniture, biological and bulky waste, the plant processes and converts these materials into wood chips, which act as a clean energy source for cement factories and paper mills. The facility reduces fossil fuel consumption, minimizes energy costs, and supports the transition to a circular economy.
Source: https://www.beeahgroup.com/services/beeah-recycling/
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | June 1, 2022 | May 31, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | June 1, 2022 | May 31, 2023 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
We have been collecting data on waste for the past 3 years however we have been refining the process of data collection and it is has only been this year that we believe we have captured the true numbers for general waste and recycling. Therefore, it has been decided that the 2023 data set will be the waste generation baseline for the American University of Sharjah.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,411 | 1,282 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 367 | 367 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 1,200 | 1,200 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 5,431 | 5,431 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 825.67 | 762 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 6,337.00 | 6,257 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.33 Metric tons | 0.33 Metric tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
In the waste figures reported above, has the institution recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold the following materials?:
| Yes or No | |
| Paper, plastics, glass, metals, and other recyclable containers | Yes |
| Food | Yes |
| Cooking oil | No |
| Plant materials | Yes |
| Animal bedding | No |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | Yes |
| Electronics | Yes |
| Laboratory equipment | Yes |
| Furniture | Yes |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| Scrap metal | Yes |
| Pallets | Yes |
| Tires | Yes |
| Other (please specify below) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Aluminum Coffee Pods Batteries E-Waste Books CDS/DVDS
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
Recycling Management
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Contamination and Discard Rates
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
Programs and Initiatives
We have a recycling guide for: 1. campus (academic buildings and residential halls(male and female dorms)) (https://www.aus.edu/sustainability/our-resources/campus-recycling-guide) 2.the faculty housing (https://www.aus.edu/sustainability/our-resources/faculty-housing-recycling-guide). Additional information on recycling can also be found on our website: https://www.aus.edu/sites/default/files/Recycling%20FAQ.pdf We also organize many outreach activities to encourage recycling during new faculty orientation and new student orientation. There are also student activities organized by office of student affairs.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
As part of the sustainable campus initiative an annual waste audit is conducted by the faculty from environmental studies.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
At AUS there has been a transition to Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. This is a real-time video conferencing tool that lets you add files, share applications, and use a virtual whiteboard. This is the main communication tool between faculty and students.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
AUS residential halls collaborate with Beeah Tandeef who do bulk pick up to collect and donate used furniture and personal belongings for charity. BEEAH Tandeef is the waste collection and city cleaning vertical of BEEAH Group. As the region’s leading waste collection company, Tandeef offers world-class waste collection services to governments, corporate establishments, and millions of residents across the MENA region.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
AUS has established a university disposal comity. This is composed of a group of professors, Sustainability office staff and asset officers who assess the materials that have been flagged on campus and determine whether they should be disposed of or given to charity.
Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.