Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.93
Liaison Jen Maxwell
Submission Date April 19, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Appalachian State University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.38 / 8.00 Jennifer Maxwell
Resource Conservation Manager
Physical Plant Administration
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization 

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 864.19 Tons 400 Tons
Materials composted 180.40 Tons 25 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 90.39 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 1,851.52 Tons 2,241 Tons
Total waste generated 2,986.50 Tons 2,666 Tons

If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:

A brief description of the residual conversion facility, including affirmation that materials are sorted prior to conversion to recover recyclables and compostable materials:
---

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017
Baseline Year July 1, 2004 June 30, 2005

If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:

A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):
FY 2005 was the first year that data was collected and recorded for waste reduction and recycling.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 5,873 4,803
Number of employees resident on-site 28 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 3 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 18,099 13,812
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 3,002 2,564
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 897 0
Weighted campus users 16,631.25 13,482.75

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.18 Tons 0.20 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
9.19

Part 3: Waste Diversion

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
38.00

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
38.00

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 Yes
Plant materials Yes
Animal bedding No
White goods (i.e. appliances) 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:
cardboard, book, shedded confidential paper, sawdust, batteries

Optional Fields 

Active Recovery and Reuse

Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year (e.g. materials that are actively diverted from the landfill or incinerator and refurbished/repurposed) :
90.39 Tons

Recycling Management 

Does the institution use single stream recycling (a single container for commingled recyclables) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
Yes

Does the institution use dual stream (two separate containers for recyclables, e.g. one for paper and another for plastic, glass, and metals) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
No

Does the institution use multi-stream recycling (multiple containers that further separate different types of materials) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
No

Contamination and Discard Rates 

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program (percentage, 0-100):
5

A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed, e.g. efforts to minimize contamination and/or monitor the discard rates of the materials recovery facilities and mills to which materials are diverted:
audits, sorting and trainings, signage, color-coded bins

Programs and Initiatives 

A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives, e.g. initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices such as signage and competitions:
audits, sorting and trainings, signage, color-coded bins participation in Recyclemania

A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
The university conducted a comprehensive solid waste and hazardous waste audit on campus in 2013.

A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
Information Technology Services:pharos printing system and print management solution, sharp copier initiative, Purchasing: inkjet and toner cartridge purchasing program

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Our mission is to dispose of property declared surplus by using agencies through transfers or sales to other agencies, political sub-divisions, qualified non-profit tax-exempt organizations,sale to the public or by recycling in a manner that provides the most benefit to North Carolina and its citizens.” -Robert A. Riddle State Surplus Property Officer

A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse (e.g. of electronics, furnishings, books and other goods):
Trader-Yo's Free Store

A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption (e.g. restricting free printing and/or mandating doubled-sided printing in libraries and computer labs):
Students are required to pay for the pages they print on campus.

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials (e.g. course catalogs, course schedules, and directories) available online by default rather than printing them:
Course catalogs, course schedules, directories and the registration process are all available online. The application and deposit processes are online only. We do not do paper applications or receive deposits by postal mail. ASU Learn and Open QWAQ are online applications

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The Don't Throw It Away campaign collects gently used items from students who either no longer need or want, or don't want to take them home. In the fall, those items are sold to incoming freshmen, transfer students and returning students who are looking for bargains to help outfit their dormitory hall room or apartment. The sale also is open to the public. The BIG sale, as it is called, donated the money collected to local charities. In fall, the BIG Sale netted over $20,000 for area charities, and the Don’t Throw it Away campaign kept approximately 72 tons of waste out of the area landfill. This program has grown over the years thanks to generous volunteers.

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Appalachian made a zero waste commitment with goal of reaching 90% diversion by 2022. Through this commitment we have instituted the minibin recycling system in order to bring awareness to individual consumption habits and reduce waste. We have removed trashcans from classrooms as another way to promote connection to individual habits and consumption. We began a zero waste stadium initiative this football season and work with concessions to divert waste through recycling and composting efforts. We continue to work upstream in order to minimize the waste produced on campus.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
http://foodservices.appstate.edu/sustainability/reduce-reuse-recycle

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.