| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 49.39 |
| Liaison | Ciara Tennis |
| Submission Date | Dec. 31, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Eastern Connecticut State University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.61 / 8.00 |
Josephine
Brickner Intern Institute for Sustainable Energy |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 130.14 Tons | 85.81 Tons |
| Materials composted | 26 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 0.43 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 752.10 Tons | 1,829.04 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 908.67 Tons | 1,914.85 Tons |
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, 2013 | June 30, 2014 |
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):
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 2,430 | 2,628 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 11 | 12 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 4,638 | 5,440 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 640 | 744 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 5 | 440 |
| Weighted campus users | 4,565 | 4,968 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.20 Tons | 0.39 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 |
| Laboratory equipment | Yes |
| Furniture | Yes |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| Scrap metal | Yes |
| Pallets | No |
| Tires | Yes |
| 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 (e.g. materials that are actively diverted from the landfill or incinerator and refurbished/repurposed) :
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?:
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?:
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?:
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:
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:
Chartwell's, our dining servicies provider, added educational signage on food waste and its impacts to the dining hall.
Reusable Take-Home containers were instated in place of disposable take-home containers in the dining hall.
Holding several large, catered events as Zero Waste Events with educational signage about food waste, with hopes of turning this into the standard for such events.
The dining hall went trayless, discouraging food waste.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Staff of the Institute for Sustainable Energy began conducting waste audits of all campus dumpsters and recycling in the summer of 2015 (and has done so through 2017) to note the percentage of contamination in each, as well as the use of dumpsters provided to the campus.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Surplus supplies are emailed out across faculty and staff distribution lists so that excess office supplies may be utilized by various on-campus departments.
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):
2017 Sustainability Week Book Swap
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):
Free printing is completely restricted for Eastern students. Students are charged $0.05 per page that they print. While there are no mandates calling students to print all documents double-sided, they are only charged for one page rather than two when they print double-sided documents.
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:
Eastern's teaching faculty may use Blackboard (an online student portal) to distribute syllabi, assignment information etc.
There is also a grades first system which is used to upload student grades, and any issues that may be occurring with students.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Since 2012 there has been a Move Out Swap Shop during the year-end May move-out. Students drop off or swap unwanted items like clothes and furniture. These items are diverted from dumpsters and instead donated to local charities.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Recycling outreach has been increased through the following:
1) Creation of a label clarifying materials for single-stream recycling. This label has been dispersed through residence halls and place on recycling bins throughout the campus's classrooms and offices.
2) Students creation and dissemination of mixed recycling videos to explain mixed recycling in residence halls and in administrative offices.
3) Webpages explaining how to handle/recycle all types of waste (see tabs at top).
These materials can be found at: http://www1.easternct.edu/sustainability/recycle/
4) Resources related to desks, electronics, furniture purposed for disposal donated to local schools and non-profit organizations
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Information for this credit was completed using information collected from Willimantic Waste, Eric Germain, Renee Theroux-Keech, and Joe Salvaggio.
Information for this credit was completed using information collected from Willimantic Waste, Eric Germain, Renee Theroux-Keech, and Joe Salvaggio.
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.