Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 65.38
Liaison Jeremy King
Submission Date Feb. 28, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Denison University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.11 / 8.00 Jeremy King
Campus Sustainability Coordinator
Office of the President
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 214 Tons 142 Tons
Materials composted 110 Tons 22 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 25 Tons 2 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 683 Tons 836 Tons
Total waste generated 1,032 Tons 1,002 Tons

A brief description of the residual conversion facility, including affirmation that materials are sorted prior to conversion to recover recyclables and compostable materials:
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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018
Baseline Year July 1, 2004 June 30, 2005

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):

The baseline year was chosen because it is the earliest year for which we believe we have accurate data. Active programs for recycling and waste reduction have been in place since the mid-1980s.


Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,159 2,021
Number of employees resident on-site 10 6
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 5 2
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 2,319 2,099
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 680.20 576
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 2,796.65 2,515

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.37 Tons 0.40 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
7.38

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
33.82

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
33.82

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:

Construction waste and electronics.


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) :
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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?:
Yes

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?:
Yes

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

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:
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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:
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A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
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A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
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A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:

Both the Purchasing Office and the Office Services Department coordinate the collection and distribution of surplus items on campus. Specifically, the Purchasing Office coordinates a surplus sale each year and oversees the re-purposing and re-use of furniture, equipment, and specialty items on campus. Office Services offers a "Free-Cycle" program on campus whereby staff and faculty can donate and take surplus office supplies.


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):
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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):

Each academic year students are allotted 1200 duplex prints. Prints in excess of this are charged $0.04 for single-sided printing and $0.03/side for duplexed prints.


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:

The Registrar's Office puts course catalogs and schedules on-line as standard practice. Student and employee directories are no longer printed and are available on-line as well.

Nearly all Accounting and Human Resources forms are now available online and able to be submitted electronically.


A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:

Operation Move-Out occurs annually at the end of the academic year. In the last year Denison has partnered with Goodwill to provide collection pods across campus whereby students can voluntarily discard usable items in these pods.


A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
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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:

Denison maintains an internal password protected website where most of this information resides. Public access web pages have limited information on this topic.


Denison maintains an internal password protected website where most of this information resides. Public access web pages have limited information on this topic.

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.