Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 58.33
Liaison Michael Amadori
Submission Date March 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Hobart and William Smith Colleges
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.50 / 8.00 Michael Amadori
Sustainability Manager
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 120.58 Tons 130.50 Tons
Materials composted 39.67 Tons 0 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 4 Tons 2 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 379.86 Tons 744.40 Tons
Total waste generated 544.11 Tons 876.90 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 June 1, 2016 May 31, 2017
Baseline Year June 1, 2007 May 31, 2008

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):

Past HWS President Mark Gearan signed the ACUPCC in September of 2007. Based on this, HWS established fiscal year 2007 (FY07), the year just prior to signing the commitment, as the standard baseline year for all sustainability indicators for which data is available. However, for our waste and water data we used FY 2008 due to having more complete and comprehensive data.


Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 1,782 1,738
Number of employees resident on-site 14 16
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 10 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 2,186 2,173
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 652 593
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 2,587.50 2,513

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.21 Tons 0.35 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
39.74

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
30.19

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
30.19

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) No

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:

In addition to batteries, light bulbs, ink cartridges, and white goods, HWS responsibly recycles or resells all unwanted electronics through a third party e-waste vendor.


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?:
No

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?:
No

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

Each spring semester, and most recently during Earth Week 2017, the Colleges host waste audits as a way to raise awareness of disposal habits and as a means of data collection to better understand residential recycling and trash. Student EcoReps will show us how we can do more to recycle and compost. The information is used to improve sustainable materials management education, programming and infrastructure. The Office of Sustainability oftentimes partners with ENV 204, “Geography of Garbage,” to hold waste audits in front of our main student center, the Scandling Campus Center, located at the heart of campus.


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:

The Colleges have long-term storage for potentially reusable office furniture and materials. For all faculty and staff material requests (e.g. chairs, cabinets, furniture), HWS Facilities first checks our surplus storage area. When office furniture and materials have met their useful life here at HWS, our Facilities department then explores other reuse outlets, such as other regional colleges/universities, hospitals, etc. The used office supplies or materials are sent to the landfill only if they are deemed beyond reusable. The Facilities team exasperates all reuse options before sending anything to the landfill.

Additionally, faculty and staff use the HWS Community Board to advertise: items for sale or items an employee wishes to give away; items an employee wishes to buy, rent or borrow; services or products an employee is able to provide; upcoming events (e.g. fundraisers, garage sales) or; other information an employee believes would be helpful to co-workers. Many employees use the community listserv for the same means.


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):

Students are given a limited number of print credits and are charged $.05 per page to print. Double sided printing is the equivalent to printing one page (incentivizes paper conservation).


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:

All major print items are available online and are only printed upon request. Departments/students are charged for printed items.


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

Every spring semester there is a large campus community effort to repurpose items through the “Community Sale,” a garage sale-type event. To promote a more sustainable community, HWS students are encouraged to donate items they are considering throwing out. Acceptable items have included furniture, rugs, clothing, lamps, school supplies, kitchen items and more. HWS also accepts a variety of electronic devices that no longer work but can be recycled and salvaged for parts. E-waste items include computers, printers, televisions, batteries, copiers, cell phones, mp3 players and cables wires.

The event doubles as a fundraiser for a local nonprofit. This fundraising aspect helps to incentivize students to take the extra step to donate. In spring 2017, the Community Sale raised $12,336 for Geneva 2020, an HWS partnership with Geneva City School District using a collective impact model to improve student success in the local school district. The sale also raised $10,800 for Geneva 2020 in 2016. The 10th anniversary for this very popular and successful event was in 2015. Since 2006, the Colleges have raised tens of thousands of dollars for the community.

During the last couple of weeks of the spring semester bins and donation areas are placed/created in residential halls throughout campus. In addition, Facilities assists in moving large items such as couches, TVs, etc. from the residential halls to the Sale location. The Colleges’ Center for Community Engagement and Service Learning hires students to collect, organize and price materials for resale. The Office of Sustainability works with Residential Education to coordinate distribution of blue recycling bags and clear trash bags to all residents during end of semester floor meetings. In addition, a reusable item and e-waste collection is coordinated leading up to and during move-out. During first-year move-in, the Office of Sustainability and EcoReps monitor first-year residential halls. They assist students with any sustainability questions, but specifically focus on educating new students about the proper waste streams at HWS.


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

Grounds to Grow On program: During summer 2014, more than 15 HWS offices and departments participated in the Grounds to Grow On program through Keurig. The Grounds to Grow On program recovers used K-cup packs to prevent them from entering landfills. Used K-cups are placed in a bin, the bin is shipped to Keurig, then Keurig separates the components, composting the grounds and incinerating the plastic pack to generate electricity. In addition to preventing K-cups from entering our nearby landfill, the Grounds to Grow On program was used at HWS to better inform offices and departments of the responsibility they have for the waste they create.
Reusable Water Bottles: Since fall 2009, all incoming first-year students are given a free reusable water bottle. The water bottle is an indication to first years of the Colleges’ commitment to sustainability, but also a practical gift for students to use while on campus. The reusable water bottles significantly decrease the purchase and disposal of single use water and beverage containers.
Drink Local Campaign: Through the Carver and DeLaney Family Environmental Studies Endowment, two HWS students started the Drink Local campaign on campus during the fall of 2013. The campaign resulted in the installation of nearly 10 new water bottle refill stations across campus, the distribution of more than 150 Nalgene water bottles, a campus map identifying all refill stations, and a Facebook page to increase awareness. The campaign is another effort at HWS to decrease the purchase and disposal of single use water and beverage containers.


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:
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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.