Overall Rating Silver
Overall Score 49.64
Liaison Adam Maurer
Submission Date March 31, 2021

STARS v2.2

Seattle Central College
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.06 / 8.00 Adam Maurer
District Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 90.80 Tons 97.30 Tons
Materials composted 146.90 Tons 145.60 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 197.60 Tons 221.50 Tons
Total waste generated 435.30 Tons 464.40 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 Jan. 1, 2019 Dec. 31, 2019
Baseline Period Jan. 1, 2018 Dec. 31, 2018

A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:

Seattle Central never developed a waste baseline due to various factors. This year we developed a methodology to estimate our three main waste streams (i.e. compost, commingled recycling, and garbage), but we only had invoices and data back to 2018. Thus, 2018 is the oldest data we have to create a baseline.


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 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 4,728.30 4,844.30
Full-time equivalent of employees 902.50 894.50
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 39.10 30.90
Weighted campus users 4,193.78 4,280.93

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.10 Tons 0.11 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
4.32

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
54.61

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
54.61

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 No
Plant materials Yes
Animal bedding No
White goods (i.e. appliances) No
Electronics No
Laboratory equipment No
Furniture No
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste No
Scrap metal No
Pallets No
Tires No
Other (please specify below) No

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

Several waste streams are recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold, but due to lack of data, are not reported in the waste figures above. Central recycles all cooking oil through a third party vendor. All institution-owned electronics are recycled through two different third party vendors. Good laboratory equipment and furniture are attempted to be resold or donated before they are put in garbage. We recycle scrap metal and pallets as best as we can when there is demand for them.


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?:
Yes

Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No

Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
---

A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
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A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
---

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

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 college participates in the Washington State Surplus program, donating items that are still usable condition but no longer needed for campus operations. Materials are collected by each department and then organized and donated by a central source.


A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
---

A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:

There is no free printing on campus. All students, faculty, and staff must pay for each print or copy made. Students pay out of pocket and faculty and staff pay through their department.


A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:

n/a


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

n/a


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

Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts 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.