| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.15 |
| Liaison | Emma Blandford |
| Submission Date | Feb. 29, 2024 |
Georgia Institute of Technology
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
0.93 / 8.00 |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 2,820 Tons | 608 Tons |
| Materials composted | 349 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 | 10,519 Tons | 7,799 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 13,688 Tons | 8,407 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 | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2007 | Dec. 31, 2007 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
The baseline year, 2007, was adopted because it was the first year there was a substantial collection of data for waste.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 9,909 | 9,184 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 260 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 134 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 35,758 | 18,741 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 9,048 | 6,311 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 8,427 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 29,960.50 | 21,085 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.46 Tons | 0.40 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
23.15
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
23.15
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 | 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:
Styrofoam and plastic film are being piloted and collected through non-traditional recycling programs. Food scraps, compostable packaging and landscape material are composted.
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?:
Yes
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Yes
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Yes
Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
---
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
Signage, manual sorting at the bin
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
The Zero Waste department supports Georgia Tech's recycling, waste diversion, and reuse programs. They promote efforts to decrease the amount of waste produced on campus to ultimately reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill. Zero Waste strives to make the Georgia Tech campus more sustainable by diverting waste through recycling and other recovery programs. Zero Waste is committed to improving and expanding opportunities for recycling, recovery, and reuse in order to divert the largest possible percentage of campus waste from the waste stream. This office makes every effort to raise awareness for the importance of reducing and diverting waste and to encourage the cooperation of the Georgia Tech community in our recycling and recovery programs.
The AWARE Program (Actively Working to Achieve Resource Efficiency) is an innovative waste minimization program. The program aims to make Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff aware of the critical role they play in waste minimization and encourages members of the campus community to make environmentally responsible choices regarding the waste they generate. AWARE places the responsibility on employees to sort and empty their waste into larger bins located within the building. Custodial teams will not service desk-side containers. The entire campus has the capacity to participate in the program and is the campus standard for waste diversion.
https://facilities.gatech.edu/recycling
The AWARE Program (Actively Working to Achieve Resource Efficiency) is an innovative waste minimization program. The program aims to make Georgia Tech students, faculty, and staff aware of the critical role they play in waste minimization and encourages members of the campus community to make environmentally responsible choices regarding the waste they generate. AWARE places the responsibility on employees to sort and empty their waste into larger bins located within the building. Custodial teams will not service desk-side containers. The entire campus has the capacity to participate in the program and is the campus standard for waste diversion.
https://facilities.gatech.edu/recycling
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Georgia Tech’s 2022 Earth Day four-day schedule of celebrations included a waste audit of the Clough Undergraduate Learning Commons.
This year, 2023, waste audits have been carried out by ECGO and Senior Design Project that delivered the 2023 Recycling Revamp report. Results from Georgia Tech’s participation in the ECGO America Recycles Day Challenge is attached as additional documentation.
This year, 2023, waste audits have been carried out by ECGO and Senior Design Project that delivered the 2023 Recycling Revamp report. Results from Georgia Tech’s participation in the ECGO America Recycles Day Challenge is attached as additional documentation.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
The Tech Dining Franchise Food Services Agreement incorporates the following waste diversion stipulations:
● Packaging Recycling: The Permit Holder is obligated to recycle all eligible packaging from food preparation, including cardboard delivery boxes, aluminum cans, and food packaging.
● Compostable Products: Utilization of compostable products (e.g., plates, bowls, cups, to-go containers) in food service and catering, with collaboration on acceptable products with the Sustainability Specialist or the Office of Campus Sustainability.
● Prohibited Items: Styrofoam, containers made of two or more materials (e.g., cardboard with plastic film windows), and any materials that cannot be recycled or composted are strictly prohibited.
● Reduction of Single-Use Plastics: Implementation of policies to minimize the use of single-use plastics or other materials, prioritizing, for instance, the use of bulk condiments.
● Food Inventory Donation: Collaboration with local food pantries to donate surplus food inventory that would otherwise be discarded, promoting community engagement and minimizing food waste.
● Packaging Recycling: The Permit Holder is obligated to recycle all eligible packaging from food preparation, including cardboard delivery boxes, aluminum cans, and food packaging.
● Compostable Products: Utilization of compostable products (e.g., plates, bowls, cups, to-go containers) in food service and catering, with collaboration on acceptable products with the Sustainability Specialist or the Office of Campus Sustainability.
● Prohibited Items: Styrofoam, containers made of two or more materials (e.g., cardboard with plastic film windows), and any materials that cannot be recycled or composted are strictly prohibited.
● Reduction of Single-Use Plastics: Implementation of policies to minimize the use of single-use plastics or other materials, prioritizing, for instance, the use of bulk condiments.
● Food Inventory Donation: Collaboration with local food pantries to donate surplus food inventory that would otherwise be discarded, promoting community engagement and minimizing food waste.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
When a Georgia Tech department purchases new furniture or office equipment, the furniture and equipment that is no longer needed is collected by Surplus Property of Georgia Tech Logistics. Because these items are state property, they cannot be sold, surplussed, or transferred from Georgia Tech without the approval of Surplus Property. As a result, many items are held in the Surplus Property area of Procurement and Business Services, located at 711 Marietta Street, until they find a new home. Unwanted items are sent to a recycling vendor or made available to the public through internet auctions.
https://news.gatech.edu/archive/features/hidden-georgia-tech-surplus-property.shtml
https://news.gatech.edu/archive/features/hidden-georgia-tech-surplus-property.shtml
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
The Revolving Closet is a Georgia Tech community resource developed in response to textile waste created by “fast fashion” and students needs for affordable clothing options; the closet allows anyone to take and/or donate clothes anytime during Kendeda Building hours. The Revolving Closet also has a textile recycling bin where old, damaged garments can be recycled.
https://sustain.gatech.edu/zero-waste/
https://sustain.gatech.edu/zero-waste/
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
In March 2010, double-sided printing became the default option for all computers in the library. This is the result of an initiative led by the library’s Student Advisory Board and the Student Government Association’s Sustainability Task Force and remains the current printing standard.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Being a Technological institution, Georgia Tech has the majority of their materials and publications online. From student registration, course catalogs, reservations, etc
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Green Goodbyes is a program that makes it easier for students to donate reusable items and deter waste from landfills. As move-out approaches, residents should keep in mind that they can donate any items that are still useful to good causes that support fellow Yellow Jackets and keep those items out of landfill. The program combats needless landfilling to ensure that no reusable item – or the opportunity to find new life for it – goes to waste.
Accepted items:
● Unopened food - for Klemis Kitchen
● Clothing in good condition - for campus closet and Goodwill
● Bedding (no egg-crate foam) - for animal shelters
● Bikes - for Starter Bikes
● Household items (working lamps and small appliances, dishware, etc.)
https://housing.gatech.edu/resident-resources/sustainability-in-the-halls
Accepted items:
● Unopened food - for Klemis Kitchen
● Clothing in good condition - for campus closet and Goodwill
● Bedding (no egg-crate foam) - for animal shelters
● Bikes - for Starter Bikes
● Household items (working lamps and small appliances, dishware, etc.)
https://housing.gatech.edu/resident-resources/sustainability-in-the-halls
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Georgia Tech participates in the Green Labs Initiative to reduce environmental impact and promote sustainability practices within laboratory settings.
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 large difference in materials recycled between the baseline and performance years is reflective of improved data collection practices, growth in the campus community, and expansions of recycling program (e.g., greek recycling).
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.