Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 61.96
Liaison Briar Schoon
Submission Date June 30, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Portland Community College
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.02 / 8.00 Stephania Fregosi
Sustainability Analyst
Facilities Management Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 309.57 Tons 89.49 Tons
Materials composted 31.95 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 903.71 Tons 1,220.90 Tons
Total waste generated 1,245.23 Tons 1,310.39 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, 2015 June 30, 2016
Baseline Year July 1, 2005 June 30, 2006

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):
---

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 0 0
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 28,019 23,011
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 2,381 2,492
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 1,933 0
Weighted campus users 21,350.25 19,127.25

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.06 Tons 0.07 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
14.87

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
27.43

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
27.43

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 No
White goods (i.e. appliances) Yes
Laboratory equipment Yes
Furniture Yes
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste No
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:

Yard debris, concrete, wood.


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) :
0 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?:
Yes

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?:
Yes

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program (percentage, 0-100):
10.90

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:

Bins and signage have been updated and increased in number, recycling presentations are made at some staff and student events,


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:

Our MiniMax program aims to make faculty and staff more aware of the waste they generate daily. Employee desks now have a standard desk-side recycling bin and a much smaller trash bin -- about 1/5 the size of the recycling bin. Employees also are now responsible for emptying their own trash and recycling bins into centralized bins, which both causes them to recognize and take ownership over the amount of waste they generate and frees up custodial staff time.


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

Waste audits are conducted annually at selected sites to monitor rates of recycling, composting, and contamination.


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

Vendors are asked to reduce unnecessary packaging and to take back pallets when possible.


A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:

- PCC has an extensive material surplus property department manged under our Central Distribution Services. This department is responsible for gathering items across the district that are to be donated, recycled, re-sold and reused. Any department can request items be picked up by the surplus properties team via an internal on-line request form. The items that are picked up are typically the larger, unwanted college supplies that would otherwise be land-filled. These item include, but are not limited to automobiles, computer electronics, all types of office furniture, aviation equipment, fire trucks, grounds maintenance machinery, AV equipment, and others. PCC also just joined Public Surplus, a website where surplus items can be bid on and sold to the public.


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):

Departments have small storage areas for small equipment reuse. The college has storage for larger items and electronics that can be put to use later. A public space is provided in the student commons area for people to drop off and/or take for free small personal items such as clothing, thermoses, etc.


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):

•Each currently registered student is allocated the equivalent of 100 double sided pages per term for free.

•Pages allocated for the previous term do not "roll" (so a prior term balance would not be added to your present term total).

•You may purchase additional printing directly from your workstation with a credit or debit card (MasterCard or Visa). Minimum purchase is $5.00.


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:

Course catalogs are available free online as PDF. Students may purchase a catalog at any PCC Bookstore for $3 or order one by mail for $6.

Additionally, course schedules, directories, and other student resources can all be found online.


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

N/A: No on-campus residency.


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

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:
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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.