Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 68.55
Liaison Daryl Pierson
Submission Date Feb. 11, 2011
Executive Letter Download

STARS v1.0

Portland State University
OP-18: Waste Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.86 / 3.00 Noelle Studer-Spevak
Sustainability Coordinator
FADM
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Materials recycled, composted, reused, donated, re-sold, or otherwise diverted :
849.20 Tons

Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator :
2,107.36 Tons

A brief description of programs, policies, infrastructure investments, outreach efforts, and/or other factors that contributed to the diversion rate:

PSU Recycles! is a team within Facilities & Planning that services over 50 buildings on the Portland State University campus, staffs the PSU ReUse Room, champions initiatives to reduce landfill garbage such as Chuck It For Charity and Recyclemania and offers support for Zero Waste event hosting and PSU Office Green Teams.

PSU Recycles! is dedicated to creating a sustainable campus by reducing waste, expanding recycling opportunities, and increasing campus recycling and composting rates. During 2009, PSU Recycles! was responsible for diverting over 527 tons of paper, plastic and metal; 29 tons of glass and 242 tons of other materials such as landscape debris and food waste from landfill.

Recycled Cooking Oil into Bio-diesel:

This year, PSU is partnering with Sequential Bio-fuels to recycle all our waste cooking oil into bio-diesel. Every gallon of waste cooking oil recycled into bio-diesel means 16 pounds of carbon dioxide that’s not added to the atmosphere.


Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

Performance year FY2010

267.93 Tons Composted - Organics (landscaping debris, food discards, wood waste)
581.27 Tons Recycled - Commingle (PSU Mix, Com Mix, Scrap Metal, Misc Fiber, MISC)
15.45 Construction debris
=849.2046

Additionally, the Re-Use Room diverts some things. However, the types of items that circulate through the PSU ReUse room are binders, hanging folders, desk trays, pens and pencils, staplers file folders and many other assortments of office supplies. We do not have the weight of these items. The average weekly savings is approximately $300.00 with the room being open 16 hours a week. This was calculated by what the item would have cost if it were to be purchased new.

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Data provided by Kelli Martin in PSU Recycles


Performance year FY2010

267.93 Tons Composted - Organics (landscaping debris, food discards, wood waste)
581.27 Tons Recycled - Commingle (PSU Mix, Com Mix, Scrap Metal, Misc Fiber, MISC)
15.45 Construction debris
=849.2046

Additionally, the Re-Use Room diverts some things. However, the types of items that circulate through the PSU ReUse room are binders, hanging folders, desk trays, pens and pencils, staplers file folders and many other assortments of office supplies. We do not have the weight of these items. The average weekly savings is approximately $300.00 with the room being open 16 hours a week. This was calculated by what the item would have cost if it were to be purchased new.

~~~~

Data provided by Kelli Martin in PSU Recycles

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.