Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 46.12
Liaison Kristina Hope
Submission Date March 1, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Knox College
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.60 / 8.00 Deborah Steinberg
Director of Campus Sustainability Initiatives
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 31.90 Tons 31.90 Tons
Materials composted 8.94 Tons 8.94 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 6.37 Tons 6.37 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 183.73 Tons 183.73 Tons
Total waste generated 230.94 Tons 230.94 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 July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017
Baseline Year July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017

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 1,126 1,126
Number of employees resident on-site 3 3
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 1,378 1,378
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 396 396
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 1,612.75 1,612.75

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.14 Tons 0.14 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:
20.44

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
20.44

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) No
Laboratory equipment No
Furniture No
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste Yes
Scrap metal No
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:
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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) :
6.37 Tons

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:

Signage is consistent across campus and the color blue is used to represent recycling on signs and bins. Small versions of the "what is recyclable" sign were made into magnets and distributed to each student. In 2018, Knox participated in RecycleMania for the first time and held weekly activities to get the word out.


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

There is a warehouse on campus that receives all used furniture, equipment, and office materials for reuse across campus.

The Office Supply Share is an easily accessible area where students, faculty, and staff can donate unused items or take items they need. It diverts several hundred pounds of material from the campus waste stream annually, while reducing expenditures and associated resource exploitation.


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):

The Knox College Share Shop is open three days a week and, primarily used by students, allows for donations and "shopping" for still-good items that are no longer wanted by the original owner. This includes electronics, books, household goods, and clothing.


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 allotted 300 pages each term and must pay for any prints above that number. The ITS department recently implemented "print release stations" to eliminate unwanted or forgotten printed pages. All printers print double sided and default to printing in black and white.


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:

Many paper publications have been phased out over the past few years, so that now all catalogs and directories are available online only (except for special requests). Many offices have transitioned to digital forms in place of paper copies.


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

Since Spring 2012, Knox has attempted to divert as much waste from landfills as possible by having donation boxes in each residence during Move out, in which items are collected and sorted by student staff. These items stock the campus Share Shop or are donated to local thrift stores.

During move in - RAs work with new students and custodial workers to separate cardboard from packing materials, so that the majority of packing items are properly recycled or can be reused, instead of going to the landfill.


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