Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 73.90
Liaison Connie Norton
Submission Date Oct. 5, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Simon Fraser University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.08 / 8.00 Rachel Telling
Zero Waste Coordinator
SFU Sustainability Office
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization 

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 736.77 Tons 356.65 Tons
Materials composted 258.30 Tons 4.07 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 27.45 Tons 30.70 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 751.47 Tons 839.62 Tons
Total waste generated 1,773.99 Tons 1,231.04 Tons

If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:

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 Jan. 1, 2017 Dec. 31, 2017
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2012 Dec. 31, 2012

If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:

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):
The 2012 waste generation baseline was adopted as this is the first year where more comprehensive waste generation data for all streams began to be collected. Over the following years, SFU has worked to increase the comprehensiveness and transparency of it's waste data. This means that although the waste data figures for the performance year are a lot higher than the baseline year, this does not accurately reflect the improvements made in waste diversion and reduction - as we now have access to much more data than we did for the baseline year.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,260 1,691.67
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 26,832.40 23,181.60
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 2,880.21 2,603.10
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 151.20 1,674
Weighted campus users 22,736.06 18,505.94

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.08 Tons 0.07 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0

Part 3: Waste Diversion

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
57.64

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
57.64

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) Yes

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Batteries, light bulbs and mattresses were included in the above.

Optional Fields 

Active Recovery and Reuse

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) :
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Recycling Management 

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?:
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?:
Yes

Contamination and Discard Rates 

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

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:
SFU's Zero Waste Initiative engages the community in education, and behavior change activities and tactics to encourage waste-related bahvaiour change.

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 completed regularly by volunteers and staff from SFU's Facilities Services and Sustainability Office. SFU's cross-departmental Zero Waste Committee regularly meets and identifies areas of improvement.

A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
SFU Vendor and Catering Food Packaging Guidelines was introduced in 2016 to encourage food and beverage vendors on campus to voluntarily switch from styrofoam to compostable or recyclable packaging. Since 2017, 100% of on campus vendors have been styrofoam free, and the guidelines are now included in all new and renewed lease agreements with SFU, Student Society and UniverCity residential development.

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Office furniture is re-used and recycled through the Facilities Services Central Stores program. When equipping an office, equipment can be selected from Central Stores over purchasing new furniture.

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):
SFU's Student Residents community engage in regular peer-to-peer exchange programs and reuse programs.

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):
All printing in libraries and computer laps are done at cost to the student printing. All multi functioning devises accessible to Faculty and Staff are set on double sided printing in black and white by default and they are encouraged to reduce unnecessary printing through programs such as Sustainable Spaces for Offices and Labs.

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:
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A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Student run "pop-up swaps" are organized at the SFU's residence hall regularly and includes materials such as: small appliances, kitchen equipment, bedding and furniture.

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Embark Student Society hosts weekly Food Rescue to minimize food waste on campus. http://www.embarksustainability.org/foodrescue

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.