| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 74.96 |
| Liaison | Megan Butler |
| Submission Date | Jan. 19, 2021 |
Macalester College
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.85 / 8.00 |
Kyle
Wright Custodial Shift Supervisor Facilities Service |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 256.76 Tons | 87.37 Tons |
| Materials composted | 56.99 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 156.18 Tons | 370.10 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 469.93 Tons | 457.47 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | June 1, 2018 | May 31, 2019 |
| Baseline Period | June 1, 2007 | May 31, 2008 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
Our GHG Emissions and Zero Waste baseline year is the FY 2007-2008.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,197 | 1,007 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 14 | 10 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 2 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,882 | 1,873 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 666.65 | 521 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 2,216.24 | 2,049.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.21 Tons | 0.22 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 | Yes |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | Yes |
| Electronics | 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) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Mini-fridges
Clothing and shoes
Books
Household goods
Miscellaneous plastics
Styrofoam
*we do not have updated weights on these recycled items.
Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year:
Does the institution use single stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
Our waste hauler has not returned any pickups for contamination and contract provisions permit them to do so.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
We are currently working on a program to eliminate compostable to-go containers (clam shells) and replace them with recycled plastic reusable containers. We are hoping this will be implemented Fall 2020.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Facilities Services Custodial staff performs waste audits three times per year.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
All disposable dishware, take out containers, and catering supplies are compostable where ever possible.
The aforementioned reusable container project will save a lot of unnecessary "compostable" bioplastic to go into the compost.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
MacFree Swap allows students, faculty, and staff to can pick-up and drop-off items for re-use. This includes office supplies.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
MacFree Swap allows students, faculty, and staff to can pick-up and drop-off items for re-use. This includes typical student items like electronics, small-electrics, furnishings, books and clothes.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
PaperCut tells community members how many pieces of paper they have printed, and encourages them to not waste paper. We also have a program called "onsies" that reuses half-printed on paper to make notebooks that are handed out to students.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
The catalogs are available online for students. Course schedules are not printed and are only available online for students. The college directory is also available online. Now with COVID-19, all classes and all materials are available online.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Waste containers are completely removed from residence hall floors, requiring all students to bring items for central sorting which allows for reuse and recycling of almost all items including clothes, food, hangers, appliances, and electronics. These items are brought to our local Goodwill, a local book shop, among other local donation places.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
2008 -present: Graduation Gown Donation Program: Mac grads donate graduation gowns to MNInternship Charter High School
2008 - present: Greening Reunion: Zero Waste Picnic incorporated, started email outreach instead of postcards, water coolers instead of water bottles.
2008 -present: EcoClamshell: Reusable carryout containers available at the Grill
2009 - present: Papercut software: ITS installed Papercut software to count pages printed by student
2009 - present: 100% Recycled Letterhead: Letterhead changed to a 100% post consumer waste recycled paper
2009 - present: Printing awareness week: Library starts annual printing reduction outreach
2009 - present: Student Account eBilling: Switched from paper bills to eBilling
2009 - present: Move Out: Extensive recycling and reuse program put in place, Recycling rate jumped from 17% in 2008 to 46% in 2009
2010 - present: Onesies: Reused one sided paper notebooks, “onesies” given to all first year students from the Library in 2010
2010 - present: CFL and ewaste recycling on campus: Bins available in the Sustainability Office for student, staff and faculty
2010 - present: Reusable dishware and dishwashers: MCSG bought a set of reusable dishware for student organizations
2010 -present: MacFreeSwap: Listing service on 1600 Grand and free stuff table in Kagin Commons
2010 -present: 100% Recycled Copy Paper: 100% recycled copy paper standard started as campus standard
2010 -present: Print release stations: Reduces accidental printing
2011 - Reuse of Macalester Pipe Organ: Macalester Pipe Organ donated to local church
2011 - Holiday Light Recycling Program: Collaboration with the Recycling Association of
Minnesota to collect discarded holiday lights and electrical cords
2012 - Recycled Art and Craft Fair: Student recycled art and craft fair hosted
2013 - Composting started on campus
2014 - Catering and Food Service start using all compostable dishware
2014 - Compostable dishware promoted to departments
2014 - Macalester College joined the national Food Recovery Network Organization which donates surplus food from the dining hall to local charities. The network, composed of students, collects donations one night a week for every week during the school year, and typically diverts around 1000-1500 pounds per semester."
For more, see the attached document.
Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.