Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.23
Liaison Michael Chapman
Submission Date Dec. 8, 2016
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Nova Scotia Community College
OP-23: Waste Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.22 / 3.00 Martha MacGowan
Project Assistant- Sustainability
Facilities & Engineering
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Materials diverted from the solid waste landfill or incinerator:
208.40 Tons

Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator :
72.60 Tons

A brief description of programs, policies, infrastructure investments, outreach efforts, and/or other factors that contributed to the diversion rate, including efforts made during the previous three years:

NSCC is committed to waste reduction at all of its campuses. Recycling and composting programs are active and additional waste diversion programs have been implemented at some of the campuses (ie, on-site composting, re-use of wood scraps, sawdust being
collected and donated to local farms, etc.). In October 2015, Waste Diversion Rates were calculated following waste audits at each of the 17 locations throughout Nova Scotia, with a combined average of 74%, with individual campuses ranging from 42% to 94%. Each campus has its own Waste Management Plan. Each campus has sorting waste stations where students and staff can sort their waste accordingly. In an effort to better the Waste Diversion Rate, bi-annual waste audits are conducted where staff and students learn how to sort waste by assisting in the audits (ie., compost, recyclable, refundable, paper, etc). Additionally, all of the campuses have a "Pack it in, Pack it out" policy where staff and students are required to take their waste to recycling stations throughout the campus instead of providing each classroom with a waste receptacle.
Each year many different education efforts are conducted at various campuses across the province. For example, our campus in Yarmouth started a "Waste 101" program where the municipal education officer from Waste Check comes to the campus and teaches a waste management course to all the students providing them with a certificate at the end of the session.


A brief description of any food donation programs employed by the institution:

The NSCC cafeterias try to eliminate as much surplus as possible. Where possible,what is leftover is given away to the students at the end of the day.

At the Pictou campus surplus food leftover from meetings and events are donated to a local women’s shelter.

At the campuses that have a restaurant, the student staff members are given the extra food.


A brief description of any pre-consumer food waste composting program employed by the institution:

All of the NSCC campuses have a composting program and all food waste produced pre-consumer is composted and is picked up on a regular basis by a waste management contractor.

All NSCC campuses follow the provincial-wide green bin program where all food waste is composted, including meat waste, and composted by the municipality.

Our Burridge and Shelburne campuses compost all food waste from cafeteria food preparation on site and use the compost for their greenhouses.


A brief description of any post-consumer food waste composting program employed by the institution:

Four of our campuses use Aramark to cater the cafeteria. Aramark follows the same standards at each campus and composts all food waste.

All NSCC campuses follow the provincial-wide green bin program where all food waste is composted, including meat waste, and composted by the municipality.

Our Burridge and Shelburne campuses compost all food waste from cafeteria food preparation on site and use the compost for their greenhouses.


Does the institution include the following materials in its waste diversion efforts?:
Yes or No
Paper, plastics, glass, metals, and other recyclable containers Yes
Food donations Yes
Food for animals No
Food composting Yes
Cooking oil Yes
Plant materials composting Yes
Animal bedding composting No
Batteries Yes
Light bulbs Yes
Toner/ink-jet cartridges Yes
White goods (i.e. appliances) Yes
Laboratory equipment Yes
Furniture Yes
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste Yes
Scrap metal Yes
Pallets No
Motor oil Yes
Tires Yes

Other materials that the institution includes in its waste diversion efforts:

NSCC has many different trades programs (pipe fitting, electrical, auto body repair, carpentry, etc) all of our trades shops sort the unique waste that is produced from these programs.


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.