Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 48.76
Liaison James Speer
Submission Date Feb. 26, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Indiana State University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.49 / 8.00 Paul Reed
Manager of Custodial and Special Services
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 786.17 Metric tons 810.12 Metric tons
Materials composted 26.31 Metric tons 9.98 Metric tons
Materials donated or re-sold 826.30 Metric tons 880.35 Metric tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion --- ---
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 377.39 Metric tons 411.86 Metric tons
Total waste generated 2,016.16 Metric tons 2,112.31 Metric 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 Aug. 1, 2016 July 31, 2017
Baseline Year Aug. 1, 2005 July 31, 2006

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):
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 3,896 2,774
Number of employees resident on-site 23 2
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 2 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 9,793 7,882.60
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 1,705.32 1,300
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 3,252 0
Weighted campus users 7,166.49 7,580.95

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.28 Metric tons 0.28 Metric 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:
81.28

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
81.28

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 No
Plant materials No
Animal bedding No
White goods (i.e. appliances) Yes
Laboratory equipment No
Furniture No
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste No
Scrap metal Yes
Pallets No
Tires No
Other (please specify below) No

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

Our recycling center is very creative in diverting as much material as possible from the landfill. Often, when they receive material that either cannot be recycled or is not receiving a good market price, they will save these materials to be re-used in crafting projects rather than thrown away.


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?:
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):
10

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:

Custodial staff presort materials that are collected from the academic buildings. Items collected from the general public and presorted by individuals that drop items at our Recycle Center. Our Recycle staff do a final sort as needed to prepare items from baling and shipment.


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:

We have been involved in the RecycleMania Competition for the past nine years. We have had various degrees of success.


A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:

We conduct a waste audit on our outdoor trash receptacles yearly to assess items that can be collected for recycling and to determine better collection methods.


A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):

Purchasing encourages the use of durable and reusable products, giving some weight to the best long-term value when selecting products. Procurement in bulk or concentrated form will be encouraged in an effort to minimize our impact on transportation resources.


A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:

Central Receiving collects all used materials on campus and first attempts to redistribute those materials on campus where they can. If the campus community does not want to use the materials, they are auctioned off to the public.


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):

ISU Purchasing encourages the broader long term view in the procurement of items such as printers, copiers, and fax machines that have the capability of duplex printing and the ability to cut paper consumption in half. Information Technology also limits the number of pages that each student can print for free.


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:

ISU Purchasing encourages the sending and storing of documents electronically, saving on paper usage. The course catalog, course schedules, and directories are available electronically and are printed as the default option.


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

Residence Life works with Goodwill and ReStore to collect reusable items during move out. These groups distribute collection bins near the residence halls so that students can put reusable items in these bins rather than in the trash.


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

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:

Numbers for materials reused, donated, or resold were taken from the Facilities Report recycle collection data.


Numbers for materials reused, donated, or resold were taken from the Facilities Report recycle collection data.

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.