| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.92 |
| Liaison | Christie-Joy Hartman |
| Submission Date | Dec. 21, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
James Madison University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.06 / 8.00 |
Abram
Kaufman Energy Conservation and Sustainability Manager Facilities Management Engineering & Sustainability |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 807 Tons | 521 Tons |
| Materials composted | 493 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 18 Tons | 6 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 1,939 Tons | 2,365 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 3,257 Tons | 2,892 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, 2008 | June 30, 2009 |
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 | 6,347 | 5,796 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 9 | 3 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 20,837 | 18,255 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 3,272 | 2,925 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 352 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 19,406.75 | 17,334.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.17 Tons | 0.17 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 | No |
| Furniture | No |
| 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:
Other materials include antifreeze, oil filters, motor oil, Ink and toner cartridges, surplus furniture sold external to JMU, and plastic grocery bags. The plastic bags are sent to TREX to be mixed with wood to make composite lumber.
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:
All recyclables are sent to JMU's Main Street Recycling Center and are resorted to reduce contamination and ensure quality of recycled materials for vendors. If a vendor provides feedback on how to improve discard rates, JMU Recycling will account for that and seek to improve sorting methods.
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:
JMU regularly updates signs and has Weigh the Waste challenges. A policy and a training discuss waste-related conduct.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Upon the requests of classes or departments on campus, JMU Recycling will conduct a waste audit with students and/or faculty/staff so that all become aware of what was thrown in the trash and what of that could have been recycled. As a result of these audits, departments have ordered new recycling bins.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
JMU Policy 1701 covers Sustainable Procurement and includes several provisions aimed at preventing waste, ranging from buying products that are reusable, refillable, or contain postconsumer waste to specifying reclaimed materials (such as stone and brick) be used in many specific circumstances.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
At no charge to departments on campus, JMU’s Surplus Property program facilitates the reuse of assets on campus by hosting a weekly open warehouse where departments can search the warehouse for items.
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):
For items not reused internally, JMU’s Surplus Property program has established relationships with other nearby local and state agencies (ranging from school districts to police departments) to shepherd reuse by setting periodic appointments with these agencies to view items in the warehouse and get “wish lists” of what they need in case those items arrive in the future. Remaining assets are then sold on GovDeals.
The university bookstore offers over 50% of its titles for rental through Rent-a-Text as well as offering offer digital textbooks through BryteWave.
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):
Libraries and computer labs charge students to print and encourage limits on paper/ink consumption by defaulting to double-sided printing in most labs and charging students a higher rate to print single-sided copies.
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:
Since 2000 and 2011 respectively, course schedules and campus directories are only available online. Plans are in place to stop printing the course catalogs after the 2017-2018 academic year.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
During move in all trash collected during that period is sorted for items that are recyclable. For move out, the Office of Residence Life runs the “Why Wait? Donate!" program to collect items including non-perishable food items for the Blue Ridge Food Bank; clothes, shoes, and small appliances for the Salvation Army; and, paper, notebooks, and other stationary items for local school children.
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:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Based on guidance from Jordan Schanda with AASHE on 10/11/18, landscape material that JMU sends to the landfill that is chipped and used as a soil substitute for alternative daily cover (ADC) is counted under the landfill category. When JMU reports waste data to Virginia DEQ this material is counted towards our recycling rate per their guidelines (approximately 2.5% of total waste stream for FY16/17).
Beginning in 2015, JMU formed a partnership with Mission Mulch. Trees/brush removed on campus are taken for free by Mission Mulch, ground up, and the product is sold. JMU purchases, at a discounted rate, a portion of this material as shredded/dyed hardwood mulch that is used on campus. During the performance year, 457 tons of tree/brush material was sent to Mission Mulch, with 400 tons purchased by JMU and reused on campus. Per guidance from Jordan Schanda with AASHE on 10/11/18 this material that is reused on campus is tracked under the "Active Recovery and Reuse" category. The 57 tons of trees/brush that are used by other entities is tracked under the composted category.
Reviewed by Ms. Amanda Bodle, Sustainability Specialist, Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability, and Mr. Abram Kaufman, Sustainability and Energy Conservation Manager, Facilities Management.
Based on guidance from Jordan Schanda with AASHE on 10/11/18, landscape material that JMU sends to the landfill that is chipped and used as a soil substitute for alternative daily cover (ADC) is counted under the landfill category. When JMU reports waste data to Virginia DEQ this material is counted towards our recycling rate per their guidelines (approximately 2.5% of total waste stream for FY16/17).
Beginning in 2015, JMU formed a partnership with Mission Mulch. Trees/brush removed on campus are taken for free by Mission Mulch, ground up, and the product is sold. JMU purchases, at a discounted rate, a portion of this material as shredded/dyed hardwood mulch that is used on campus. During the performance year, 457 tons of tree/brush material was sent to Mission Mulch, with 400 tons purchased by JMU and reused on campus. Per guidance from Jordan Schanda with AASHE on 10/11/18 this material that is reused on campus is tracked under the "Active Recovery and Reuse" category. The 57 tons of trees/brush that are used by other entities is tracked under the composted category.
Reviewed by Ms. Amanda Bodle, Sustainability Specialist, Office of Environmental Stewardship and Sustainability, and Mr. Abram Kaufman, Sustainability and Energy Conservation Manager, Facilities Management.
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.