| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 59.44 |
| Liaison | Casey Romero |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2022 |
Oklahoma State University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.46 / 8.00 |
Kristeena
Blaser Sustainability Coordinator Energy Services |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 370.65 Tons | 135 Tons |
| Materials composted | 103.06 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 2.70 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 11.39 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 2,405.62 Tons | 4,795.32 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 2,893.42 Tons | 4,930.32 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
N/A
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | July 1, 2020 | June 30, 2021 |
| Baseline Period | July 1, 2005 | June 30, 2006 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 4,583 | 7,077 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 107 | 400 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 54 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 20,870 | 21,235 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 5,263 | 4,677 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 578 | 247 |
| Weighted campus users | 20,392.75 | 21,118 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.14 Tons | 0.23 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:
Textiles and cardboard are included in the above waste figures.
Not included are refrigerants, lab chemicals, fluorescent lamps, construction, and demolition waste. These items have been recycled through didn't waste streams but not quantified.
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:
The two key quality control mechanisms we employ to minimize contamination are education and waste stream audits. Every recycling bin has signage that accompanies it to show what is accepted in that specific waste stream, several social media posts each month are dedicated to proper recycling practices, events are held which have recyclable and nonrecyclable materials present to demonstrate proper recycling practices and each year we participate in America Recycles Day to further spread education. We also provide tours of the sorting facilities that accept our materials and visually the life cycle of items that are recycled.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
In addition to frequent MRF tours, we have signage located at individual bins, recycling dumpsters, flyers in residential halls, and magnets that are included in each residence hall room. We have found that clustering bins changes behavior in that less contamination is found in clustered recycle bins and less recycling is found in clustered trash cans.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Every Monday and Thursday a student intern from the Office of Sustainability does a waste audit of the ResLife Recycles program which is our single-stream system. She goes through each recycling dumpster and visually inspects for signs of contamination. In addition, she records what type of contamination was found, if the dumpster should go to a landfill due to the level contamination, and approximately how full it is. She takes notes on each dumpster and uploads them into a data sheet that we use to track which dumpsters are the most commonly contaminated and know to target those for further education.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The Office of Asset Management assists university departments' on effective management and accountability of University property. The office issues a monthly list of surplus items and whatever items are not moved amongst University departments or other state agencies are transferred to the Surplus Warehouse where they are displayed for OSU employees to take for use on campus as needed. When the Warehouse is too crowded, usually once per quarter, items are sold at public auction.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Faculty, staff, and graduate students are strongly encouraged to procure used furnishings, equipment, electronics, and other goods from the surplus warehouse. Photos of surplus items are shared via social media and in-person presentations. There is also a webpage dedicated to the exchange of surplus. Several residential halls utilize Buy-Sell-Trade exchanges that they create via GroupMe. Real Pokes Pass it On, is a program where during move-out student volunteers collect gently used furniture that was on its way to the landfill and resell or donate those items back to the student body at the start of the following semester.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Library and computer lab printers are set to print double-sided as their default. Ink cartridges that are empty are sent back to the manufacturer to be recycled or reused.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
OSU offers course catalogs, course schedules, and directories online. The student newspaper, the O'Colly is online as are departmental newsletters. The University Imaging Office scans files for offices that wish to go paperless. All classes have the option to submit assignments online rather than in person. Several textbooks are provided online, as well as articles and other materials needed for classes.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
A Move-In Recycling program was implemented for the first time in August 2013 for students living in both Single Student Housing and Family and Graduate Student Housing. Cardboard continues to be collected for recycling each year at move-in. Real Pokes Pass It On is a Move-out program that collects clothing, books, and household items and donates them to charity either directly or via a fall resale program. Family & Graduate Student Housing also holds a yard sale. Various groups hold book drives at the end of each semester.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Many materials are recovered and reused on campus including used office supplies, sturdy boxes, textiles, rags, bricks and pavers, pallets, lab chemicals, corrugated plastic signs, and scrap lumber.
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.