Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 48.56
Liaison Alan Turnquist
Submission Date July 8, 2020
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Michigan Technological University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.19 / 8.00 Jay Meldrum
Executive Director of Sustainability
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization 

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 145.13 Tons 153.36 Tons
Materials composted 0 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 874.17 Tons 1,001 Tons
Total waste generated 1,019.30 Tons 1,154.36 Tons

If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:

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, 2018 June 30, 2019
Baseline Year July 1, 2015 June 30, 2016

If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:

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 2,880 3,053
Number of employees resident on-site 16 4
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 6,796 6,742
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 1,845.98 1,450
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 7,205.49 6,908.25

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.14 Tons 0.17 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
15.34

Part 3: Waste Diversion

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
14.24

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
14.24

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 No
Food No
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 No
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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Optional Fields 

Active Recovery and Reuse

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) :
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Recycling Management 

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

Contamination and Discard Rates 

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:
Recycle containers are all blue with a recycle symbol on them. Also, each container has a placard on them that outlines the acceptable items for recycling published by our waste recycler.

Programs and Initiatives 

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 recently added small recycling bins to each dorm room. We have also included signage on the bins. During orientation week, we educate the incoming students to the dorms of our recycling policy.

A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Waste/recycling audits are held in select dorms and university buildings. Fisher, the Library, Douglas Houghton Hall recycling efforts revealed that Fisher was 35% diversion rate, the Library was 50%, and that the dorm was less that 15%. From this we decided to educate the students first and to add more bins in the dorms.

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

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Office furniture and outdated equipment is offered for reuse throughout the University and controlled by our property office.

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):
Electronic equipment and outdated equipment is offered for reuse throughout the University and controlled by our property office.

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):
None.

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:
All are offered.

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
In progress. There are plan in motion for FY21

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
See Innovation 24, the Keweenaw Waste Reduction Drive held by our Sustainability Demonstration House.

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:
FY16 Recycling and trash excel file attached above created by Jay Meldrum for baseline year Ginger Sleeman now tracks recycling and trash monthly and posts it on the above referenced sustainability website.

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.