Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 40.74
Liaison Pat Van Duyne
Submission Date June 11, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Joliet Junior College
OP-22: Waste Minimization

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.10 / 5.00 Nick Sciaccotta
Superintendent
Custodial
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Waste generated::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 263.27 Tons 47 Tons
Materials composted 4.36 Tons 27.32 Tons
Materials reused, donated or re-sold 35.25 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 482.62 Tons 304 Tons

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 0 0
Number of residential employees 0 0
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 9,637 5,380
Full-time equivalent of employees 925 781
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 1,046 56

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2013 June 30, 2014
Baseline Year July 1, 1993 June 30, 1994

A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
The Waste Generation baseline was adopted as a result of the 1994 Waste Reduction Plan developed by Becker Associates, Inc. The Waste Reduction Plan from JJC was submitted to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in accordance with Illinois Public Act 86-1363, Section 415 ILCS 20/3.1.

A brief description of any (non-food) waste audits employed by the institution:
Joliet Junior College has utilized third party consulting firms Patrick Engineering to conduct the 2000, 2004 and 2009 Waste Reduction Plan Update, and Waste Specialty to conduct the 2014 Waste Reduction Plan Update submitted to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity in accordance with Illinois Public Act 86-1363, Section 415 ILCS 20/3.1.

A brief description of any institutional procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
Sustainability/Recycling procedure 9.10 states: "The College is committed to the concept of waste minimization and the conservation of all materials and supplies in accordance with all national, state, and local laws and ordinances and beyond. Since 1991 the College has supported the active involvement of all campus constituencies in order to satisfy the environmental goals of waste minimization, material conservation and recycling." Also, the college's surplus inventory policy requires that we sell unwanted surplus inventory through an online auction; items that do not sell are offered at no cost to the local public school districts and then to the local non-profits. The college has also standardized classroom and office furniture to give more flexibility with re-using furniture on campus.

A brief description of any surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The Purchasing Department handles surplus furniture and equipment, which is available for academic use. Pictures, dimensions, and quality rating of items available for re-use on campus are available through the college's portal. Items that are not re-used on campus are sold or donated. The college has also standardized classroom and office furniture to give more flexibility with re-using furniture on campus.

A brief description of the institution's efforts to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
The Purchasing Department no longer prints training handouts. They are all available electronically through the college portal. This includes a 130+ page handbook for the colleges ERP system, which hasn't been printed in over 2 years. Additionally, instead of having three-part forms printed for our Independent Contractor Agreements, we are making this available in a fillable format electronically through the college's portal.

A brief description of any limits on paper and ink consumption employed by the institution:
Procedure 8.3.1.4 lists the following as ways to increase sustainability practices: 1. use electronic distribution for documents whenever possible versus distributing in paper form 2. copy and print documents double-sided 3. reuse the back of paper for interdepartmental use 4. use recycle bins 5. utilize recycled notepads available through Print Services 6. recycled paper can be taken to Print Services to create the notepads

A brief description of any programs employed by the institution to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Joliet Junior College does not have on-campus residence/residence halls.

A brief description of any other (non-food) waste minimization strategies employed by the institution:
The college actively pursues the following waste minimization strategies: -E-waste 3rd party disposal -Metal Recycling -Wood Recycling -C&D Waste Recycling -Publicize waste reduction and recycling efforts -Use of voicemail and email -Use of double-sided settings on copiers -Use of reusable interoffice mail envelopes -Reusable shipping containers -Removal of office/department from junk mail lists -Use of hand dryers in restrooms -Use washable rags instead of paper towels -Separate hazardous waste from solid waste -Preventative maintenance programs to reduce waste generated from breakdowns -Sponsor charitable collections for end of year clothes, books, etc.

A brief description of any food waste audits employed by the institution:
Food Services does not conduct any food waste audits at this time.

A brief description of any programs and/or practices to track and reduce pre-consumer food waste in the form of kitchen food waste, prep waste and spoilage:
Food Services keeps track of salad and sandwich grab & go production and produces items on a daily basis based on prior sales trends in order not to over-produce such items, resulting in waste. Compostable vegetative waste (no food scraps) are collected daily by Food Service and transported by Facility Services to our compost pile for use in the Ag fields.

A brief description of programs and/or practices to track and reduce post-consumer food waste:
Food Services tracks left over grab & go produced items at the end of each shift and day. Adjustments are then made to the next day or week's production based on what was tossed on that particular day.

A brief description of the institution's provision of reusable and/or third party certified compostable to-go containers for to-go food and beverage items (in conjunction with a composting program):
Food Services at main campus utilizes only third party certified compostable products in all of its cups, plates and to-go containers for carry-out purchases. These products are not composted on campus but are picked up with the regular waste management pickups.

A brief description of the institution's provision of reusable service ware for “dine in” meals and reusable and/or third party certified compostable service ware for to-go meals (in conjunction with a composting program):
Food Services at main campus utilizes only third party certified compostable products in all of its cups, plates and to-go containers for dine-in purchases. These products are not composted on campus but are picked up with the regular waste management pickups.

A brief description of any discounts offered to customers who use reusable containers (e.g. mugs) instead of disposable or compostable containers in to-go food service operations:
Discounts ranging from $.30 - $.70 are offered to customers who take advantage of using the college's reusable coffee mug, sports beverage bottle and food container program. All three items are sold in the cafeteria and campus book store.

A brief description of other dining services waste minimization programs and initiatives:
Food Services collects #10 size food cans for recycling.

The website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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