Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
---|---|
Overall Score | 61.51 |
Liaison | Karen Eckert, Ph.D. |
Submission Date | March 5, 2021 |
Executive Letter | Download |
Principia College
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion
Status | Score | Responsible Party |
---|---|---|
3.77 / 8.00 |
Dale
Desherlia Head, Flex Crew/Recycling Facilities |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Materials recycled | 98.66 Tons | 70.67 Tons |
Materials composted | 33.56 Tons | 0 Tons |
Materials donated or re-sold | 2 Tons | 0 Tons |
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 153.15 Tons | 224.95 Tons |
Total waste generated | 287.37 Tons | 295.62 Tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
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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 | Jan. 1, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 |
Baseline Year | Jan. 1, 2008 | Dec. 31, 2008 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
The Baseline year is set at 2008 to match the Baseline year for energy.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Number of students resident on-site | 407 | 503 |
Number of employees resident on-site | 75 | 105 |
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 35 | 13 |
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 407 | 503 |
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 267 | 323 |
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 503 |
Weighted campus users | 661 | 407.25 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.43 Tons | 0.73 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
40.11
Part 3: Waste Diversion
46.71
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
46.71
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 | No |
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:
The Department of Facilities has a strong waste diversion program that also includes paints, construction waste, and precious metals.
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
2
Tons
Recycling Management
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?:
No
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
Contamination and Discard Rates
5
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:
We are recognized by our hauler (Republic Services) as having an exceptionally clean recycling stream; it's always conveyed to me as "less than 10%".
Programs and Initiatives
RecyleMania, intermural competitions, elected EcoHeads (each dormitory has a House Board) with active peer outreach, clear and consistent signage (color-coded) on every disposal bin, videos on social media, recycling module in New Student Orientation.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Campus waste audit conducted biannually as a partnership between the Facilities Department and Center for Sustainability. The audit reports landfill, single stream recycling, specialty recycling (batteries, electronics, steel, precious metals, paint, light bulbs, and so on), composting, and construction waste. A 2015 department-level waste audit by Dining Services showed an overall diversion rate of 89% (54% non-food recycling, 35% composting).
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
There are no formal policies, but Procurement officers - especially in Dining Services - emphasize minimal and biodegradable packaging; cleaning supplies are purchased (and dispensed) in bulk from wall-mounted closet caddies.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
All residence halls have a Share Box where office supplies, clothing, linings, appliances and electronics, and so on are offered to students for reuse (besides on-campus reduce, ca. 0.50 tones of clothes and miscellaneous student items were donated to Goodwill through the Share Box program 2014) ; the Facilities Department hosts a semi-annual "White Shed Sale" open to the community (658 items of miscellaneous furniture, furnishings, appliances, and equipment - including 15 fleet vehicles - were purposed through the White Shed Surplus and Vehicles Sales in 2014); Items remaining from these efforts are picked-up by community partners for donation to needy families or local schools; specialty equipment (e.g., cardboard baler) is advertised on Craig's List.
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):
Every dorm has a Share Box for (generally) clothing, a Book Drive bin, and electronics and battery recycling bins, We also have a free (donor-system) student book library next to the Dining Room that offers up used textbooks and general reading.
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):
Faculty and staff are encouraged by the Office of Information Technology to limit paper and ink consumption by, for example, eliminating support (supplies, warranty) for in-office printers and supporting networked printers only. Networked printers default on double-sided printing. Paper use monitoring software is installed on all networked printers and data are complied and shared with users.
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:
Faculty are required to use academic technologies including Canvas and Chalk & Wire to create, distribute, and evaluate homework and assessment assignment documents; Agendas and supporting documents for faculty and staff meetings are always presented electronically; Phone books and course catalogs are only available in printed copy upon request; Course schedules are only available online; College publications (e.g., annual report, student magazine) are available online and printed in limited quantity. The Registrar and Admissions offices are increasingly digital, a welcome trend accelerated by COVID.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
College Flex Crew places additional recycling bins and increases pick-up schedule during move-in/move-out periods; Information is made available to residence halls concerning importance of proper waste disposal
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
An annual White Shed Sale offers up to the community a wide range of campus-sourced items for re-homing - including residential and office furniture and accessories, tools, appliances, even vehicles. Items number in the many hundreds; quite remarkable for such a small campus!
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:
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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.