| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 72.81 |
| Liaison | Austin Eriksson |
| Submission Date | Nov. 29, 2021 |
California State University, Northridge
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.02 / 8.00 |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 856.51 Tons | 320 Tons |
| Materials composted | 360.75 Tons | 110.55 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 44.07 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 976 Tons | 1,387.76 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 2,237.33 Tons | 1,818.31 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | Jan. 1, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2014 | Dec. 31, 2014 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
The baseline was used because this is the most accurate historical data available.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 3,081 | 2,660 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 24 | 12 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 82 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 32,470.81 | 32,513 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 3,260 | 3,065 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 178 | 3,232 |
| Weighted campus users | 27,522.86 | 24,927.50 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.08 Tons | 0.07 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
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 | Yes |
| Plant materials | Yes |
| Animal bedding | No |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | Yes |
| Electronics | Yes |
| Laboratory equipment | No |
| Furniture | Yes |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| Scrap metal | Yes |
| Pallets | Yes |
| Tires | No |
| Other (please specify below) | No |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year:
Does the institution use single stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
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?:
Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
CSUN's waste hauler, Athens Services, operates a MRF capable of sorting both municipal recycling and municipal waste. Both CSUN's landfill-bound material and recyclables are sorted by Athens to recover materials that were placed in the incorrect bin.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
CSUN has done extensive education surrounding its zero waste plan. Presentations are regularly requested and delivered at guest lectures, department meetings, orientations, and other forums. CSUN also launched its new zero waste website which includes a zero waste pledge which can be taken by any campus member. This site also includes videos, infographics, and other resources to teach viewers about waste issues and simple actions they can take to reduce their waste generation.
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 works with our waste hauler to perform campus wide waste audits twice a year. These typically are done in the spring and fall semesters.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
The University has an Environmentally Preferred Purchasing Policy in place that not only covers environmentally conscious products, but also emphasizes the need to reduce purchases and reduce waste.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Associated Students Recycling runs a sale/exchange program for students and employees, which is used for personal belongings and consumable office supplies. Students can post personal belongings for sale, while employees can post campus-purchased items that don't have a campus asset tag, which can be claimed for free by other employees for continued use on campus. This program led to the reuse of over 1,800 items by employees in 2019.
CSUN also runs a public auction site through the where the university sells surplus equipment, supplies, etc.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Information about CSUN's peer-to-peer exchange program is shared at presentations to students and employees. It is also promoted on CSUN's sustainability website, and shared via CSUN's peer-to-peer employee educators, the Sustainability Champions.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
CSUN purchased and installed 94 new duplex printers for the campus printing labs as well as new print management software. This new system allows uniform printing quota for all students and limits them to 100 pages per semester. There are also signs by every printer and on the computer screens with messages to think before they print.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
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.