| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 48.20 |
| Liaison | Lauren Poole |
| Submission Date | Dec. 10, 2021 |
Colorado School of Mines
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.33 / 8.00 |
Lauren
Poole Sustainability Coordinator EHS |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 336.38 Tons | 304.39 Tons |
| Materials composted | 2 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 896.80 Tons | 905 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 1,235.18 Tons | 1,209.39 Tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
N/A
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 | July 1, 2017 | June 30, 2018 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
N/A
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,871 | 1,790 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 5 | 5 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 5,527 | 5,412 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,036 | 1,016 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 7 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 5,386 | 5,269.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.23 Tons | 0.23 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0.07
Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator
27.40
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
27.40
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 | No |
| 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:
Colorado School of Mines Surplus Property is reused, resold at CU Boulder auction, or diverted through reputable vendors. We also recycle a wide variety of materials, including lab equipment, batteries a various kinds, paint, cooking oil, tires, and car oil. In our labs, we recycling nitrile gloves and plastic pipette boxes. These numbers are not reflected in the numbers above.
During the performance year, we composted for large events and started a compost pilot for paper towels in one building. Students living in our Mines Park apartment complex host a furniture swap during Move-Out to raise awareness of move-out waste and to offer the reuse of furniture and other items such as cooking ware by in-coming students. We also recycling during move-in (cardboard boxes, block Styrofoam, and plastic film). The numbers are not reflected in the numbers above.
During the performance year, we composted for large events and started a compost pilot for paper towels in one building. Students living in our Mines Park apartment complex host a furniture swap during Move-Out to raise awareness of move-out waste and to offer the reuse of furniture and other items such as cooking ware by in-coming students. We also recycling during move-in (cardboard boxes, block Styrofoam, and plastic film). The numbers are not reflected in the numbers above.
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
---
Recycling Management
Yes
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Contamination and Discard Rates
---
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
We have recycling sorting guide posters with photos and descriptions above every bin on campus. All of our bins are paired (trash/recycling) to encourage more recycling and provide guidance on recycling. Our custodians also try to monitor the bins. Our waste management service provider subscribes to a recycling sorting facility in Denver that uses AI, robotics and people to sort recycling as it enters the facility.
Programs and Initiatives
To control recycling quality on campus, we provide educational and outreach materials such as social media campaigns with student videos, websites with recycling information, printed sorting guides above bins, and some in-person workshops. For our E-Days event, we created a recycling game. We also participated in Recyclemania Game Day Recycling event last year. We also hosted a recycling event as part of a Football Tailgate Party. Students living in our Mines Park apartment complex host a furniture swap during Move-Out to raise awareness of move-out waste and to offer the reuse of furniture and other items such as cooking ware by in-coming students. We also recycling during move-in (cardboard boxes, block Styrofoam, and plastic film).
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
The Sustainability Coordinator works with several classes to perform waste audits of our dining halls as part of waste management research and STARS data collection research. A Game Day audit was performed by students as part of a Recyclemania competition.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
We do have a green lab's program on campus where we encourage researchers to purchase lab supplies from vendors that allow for return or recycling of packaging (e.g., gel packs) or recyclable materials. https://www.mines.edu/sustainability/green-labs/
Our main campus procurement policy is found here:
https://www.mines.edu/policy-library/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2020/05/Procurement-Policy-and-Procedures-May-2020.pdf
Our main campus procurement policy is found here:
https://www.mines.edu/policy-library/wp-content/uploads/sites/87/2020/05/Procurement-Policy-and-Procedures-May-2020.pdf
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Mines Surplus Property Program sells working surplus property at state auction or we try to reuse these items on campus if possible (e.g., computers, furniture). For non working surplus items that are no longer usable, we use vendors that are sustainably managed or certified (e.g., ewaste vendors must be R2 or e-steward certified).
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
We are a small college so most people just submit a request to the Sustainability Office when they need something to see if we have it in surplus before they buy. We do hold a furniture swap at the end of the year for students living in our university apartments.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
We restrict free printing and encourage double-sided printing in libraries and computer labs.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
We offer online course catalogs, course schedules, and directories. We also recently converted our chemical order forms to electronic forms to eliminate printed chemical request forms.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
In addition to recycling cardboard and block styrofoam during Move-In, prior to Move-In, we provide new students with a Green Move-In guide that gives them tips on reducing waste on campus (e.g., pack items into luggage not cardboard boxes). We also get volunteers from our Green Team to help with Move-In recycling (e.g., breaking down boxes and making sure they get put into recycling dumpsters). At Move-Out, we also promote recycling, clothing donations, and a furniture swap. Our Green Move-In Guide is listed on the main campus move-in page: https://www.mines.edu/residence-life/wp-content/uploads/sites/46/2019/08/Green-Move-In-Guide-2019.pdf
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Mines has a program in place to reuse materials intended for disposal including electronic waste and furniture. For more details,visit https://www.mines.edu/sustainability/surplusproperty/
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:
Recycling tonnage data comes from our annual waste diversion report from Republic Services that gives waste collected in tons and waste recycled in tons. The report also provides a waste diversion rate of 43%.
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.