Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 70.59
Liaison Daryl Pierson
Submission Date June 27, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Portland State University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.03 / 8.00 Amanda Wolf
Program + Assessment Coordinator
Campus Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 796.90 Tons 606.34 Tons
Materials composted 157.20 Tons 131.10 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 37.90 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 2,102.20 Tons 1,885.48 Tons
Total waste generated 3,094.20 Tons 2,622.92 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, 2004 June 30, 2005

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):

It was chosen because of the quality/inclusiveness of the data we have for that year.


Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,088 1,272
Number of employees resident on-site 68 30
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 21,061 15,296
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 2,685 3,264
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 832 0
Weighted campus users 17,724.50 14,245.50

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.17 Tons 0.18 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
5.19

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
32.06

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
32.06

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 Yes
Scrap metal Yes
Pallets Yes
Tires No
Other (please specify below) No

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:

The materials PSU generally recycles include paper, plastics, metals, glass, and electronic waste.

The materials compost include food scraps, fiber (napkins and paper towels), BPI-certified compostable service ware, and yard debris.

The materials donated include pre-consumer catered food that was left unserved from conference and events, clothing, all household goods, clothing, furniture, books, and supplies from student move-out.


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) :
7.90 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?:
No

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?:
No

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:

A recycling waste audit was conducted at one of our student centric buildings during the performance period. In addition, any contamination of recycling containers on campus is reported by the collection driver through the waste hauler to Waste Management Coordinator who then either corrects the issue or has the container dumped as trash depending on the severity of the issue. Once recyclables have been taken to the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF), discard rates from the MRF is monitored by a regional government agency to ensure that they are within acceptable standards.


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:

"PSU Recycles is dedicated to creating a sustainable campus by reducing waste, expanding recycling opportunities, and increasing campus recycling and composting rates. PSU Recycles participated in RecycleMania, conducted several campus-wide movie screenings regarding recycling, waste reduction, and resource conservation. Movies screened include Plastic Paradise, Cowspiracy, The True Cost, and Garbage Dreams. 

Partnership with Sequential Bio-fuels to recycle all waste cooking oil into bio-diesel.  Every gallon of waste cooking oil recycled into bio-diesel prevents 16 pounds of carbon dioxide from being released in to the atmosphere. Over 1 ton of cooking oil was recycled in FY2016.

Food waste is collected for composting in all dining locations, including post-consumer stations in Viking Food Court and several other locations in Smith Memorial Student Union and in PSU's Engineering Building. Food scraps and compostable fibers can be collected in department break-rooms and kitchens for composting. Seven of the ten residence halls on campus have individual compost pails assigned to each student room. One residence hall has a communal compost container in the shared kitchen. The final two residence halls have a voluntary program for food scrap collection where students can take a clean tub from the dish return area of the dining hall, fill it with food scraps, return it to the same area once it is full to have its contents composted, and take a new clean tub at that time. All of these programs have their own posters, signs, and/or brochures.

Tray-less dining in Victors Dining Hall reduces food waste by 25-30% per person.

No Scraps Left Behind is an food waste reduction campaign targeting PSU's dining hall. It includes posters, napkin dispenser displays, surveys on food waste behaviors, and food waste buffets. Food waste buffets are a display of the uneaten entrees, side dishes and desserts that students have left on their plates after a meal. The pile of discarded food provided a visual reminder to students of how food waste adds up plate by plate to become a big deal.

Toner cartridge, batteries, and electronics are all collected across campus for special recycling through the work order system.

The PSU ReUse Room redistributes donated office and school supplies for free to the campus community, and the Surplus Property Program redistributes reusable office and classroom furniture to PSU departments or the community. Approximately an estimated 1.2 tons of these items were saved for reuse in FY2013.

Chuck-it-for-Charity program collects reusable items from departing students each term and donates them to charitable organizations. In FY2013, 1.2 tons of reusable items were donated from the program.

Water Bottle Refilling Stations around campus allow users to easily refill their water bottles with filtered water, reducing waste associated with purchased throw-away plastic bottles.


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

Currently in its third year of PSU's Living Lab program, the Waste Audit Living Lab - Experience (WALL-E) is continuing to partner with two University Studies Freshman Inquiry courses aimed at analyzing the PSU waste stream through waste audits with a focus on reducing the amount of food waste in landfill-bound trash. Via student-conducted waste sorts, valuable waste data is collected for the Campus Sustainability Office and students work to develop and implement various interventions to address waste reduction on campus.

In the three years of WALL-E implementation, over 19 waste audits of landfill-bound waste have been conducted by PSU Freshman and over 2.8 tons of waste has been sorted.


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

In  May 2016, Portland State University President Wiewel put his signature on the Sustainable Procurement and Life Cycle Consideration Policy after a formal vetting process by the University Policy Committee. The policy outlines required and recommended practices that lower the environmental impacts associated with campus purchasing of goods and services.

Sustainable Procurement and Life Cycle Consideration Policy:
-Reduced packaging through such methods as vendor take-back of packaging or
packaging reuse


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

PSU ReUse Room
Location: Cramer Hall Rm. 180
Open all the time.
The PSU Reuse Room collects and redistributes gently used, surplus office, school, and small household supplies for free that would otherwise be recycled or thrown out.
A few examples of reusable materials are:
* 1/2"" to 2"" Binders
* File Folders
* Pens/Pencils
* Desktop File Organizers
* Staplers/staples
* Paper clips
* Paper

The PSU ReUse Room is run primarily by volunteers from the university to help manage waste throughout campus but is overseen by the Waste Management Coordinator (a full-time staff member) and a part-time student employee who is designated as the Reuse Coordinator for the campus. The ReUse room is dependent on volunteers and donations to help make this campus a more sustainable environment. In 2015, the ReUse Room diverted 4,988 .lbs from disposal to reuse.

Surplus Department
Captures surplus furniture and electronics that are available to campus departments for reuse. Remaining items are sold or donated.


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):

The Student Sustainability Center in partnership with the Campus Sustainability Office facilitates the Waste Reduction Taskforce which is made up of student volunteers who advance waste reduction efforts across campus.

These student volunteers conduct 2-3 clothing exchanges per year including one during Earth Day and have assisted with other material exchanges including one in partnership with the City of Portland and the Portland Downtown Neighborhood Association.


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):

Students are allowed 500 free pages per term. A program called "Hold and Release" limits accidental printing (most labs now require users to enter their user name at a kiosk before printing takes place, which greatly reduces print error and waste) and informs students of the environmental impacts of their printing each quarter.


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:

PSU no longer prints the course bulletin. They are available for purchase from the PSU bookstore. Free PDFs are available online http://www.pdx.edu/oaa/psu-bulletin
No course schedules or directories are printed.

Transcripts are available in electronic format as well.

There are numerous ways students can access course materials electronically through the library and online learning platform, D2L.


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

Chuck-it for Charity is a campus wide effort to reduce waste by diverting reusables to people in need. PSU Housing, in collaboration with the Campus Sustainability Office encourages students to bring unwanted household items, food, & clothing to the donation stations in various residence hall locations. Instead of filling up the landfill, students have the opportunity to Chuck-it For Charity. In spring of 2015, the program diverted 10,736 pounds of reusable goods to several different charities including Cascade Gaia Movement, Community Warehouse, PSU Food Pantry, and PSU ReUse Room.

Chuck-it collects:
· Non-perishable food items
· Clothing
· Toasters
· Utensils
· Small appliances & electronics
· Pots, pans, and dishware
· School and office supplies


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

Portland State currently has five Cascade Gaia Movement containers for donation and reuse of clothing across campus which takes in over 7.5 tons of clothing a year.


The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

PSU's hauler does not provide actual weight of materials. All data are a result of a standard estimated formula by the waste hauler of the average pounds per yard of waste generated for landfill, recycling, and compost streams.

Performance year - FY2016


PSU's hauler does not provide actual weight of materials. All data are a result of a standard estimated formula by the waste hauler of the average pounds per yard of waste generated for landfill, recycling, and compost streams.

Performance year - FY2016

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.