| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.27 |
| Liaison | Veronica Johnson |
| Submission Date | Jan. 14, 2022 |
Southwestern University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.21 / 8.00 |
Veronica
Johnson Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Management |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 145.40 Tons | 249.10 Tons |
| Materials composted | 3.60 Tons | 0 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 | 408.50 Tons | 557.80 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 557.50 Tons | 806.90 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | July 1, 2020 | June 30, 2021 |
| Baseline Period | July 1, 2018 | June 30, 2019 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 844 | 1,115 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 2 | 2 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,498.67 | 1,416 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 397 | 400 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 1,633.25 | 1,641.25 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.34 Tons | 0.49 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
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) | Yes |
| Electronics | 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:
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?:
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
In Fall 2019, Facilities Management adopted a "Waste Bin Standard" to create easy-to-understand waste stations featuring a blue "recycle" bin, black "landfill" bin/trash buddy, and comprehensive signage. All signs and stickers include QR codes that link to webpages on our zero waste initiatives and what can/cannot be recycled.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
In 2019, the Office of Sustainability completed a waste audit to better understand SU's waste stream. From the waste audit, it was found that the diversion was low, contamination was high, and that there was a clear need to completely revamp how the university addresses its waste. Since then, the sustainability team has implemented numerous zero-waste initiatives.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
As part of the new campus-wide residential-hall furniture standard, Southwestern University sources its residential hall furniture and mattresses from circular-minded companies (DCI Furniture and Lippert Components respectively). DCI’s buy-back program also ensures that none of the new furniture will ever be sent to a landfill. Like DCI, Lippert provides a zero-landfill program, meaning once the mattresses are ready to be replaced, the company will pick them up from the university, break them down at their facility, and recycle them into new mattresses.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Started in Fall 2019 by the Office of Sustainability, The Treasure Chest is Southwestern’s first permanent, free, student-run exchange store. Students can donate their gently used clothing, dishware, books, jewelry, electronics, appliances, shoes, and other miscellaneous items for reuse.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Students are required to pay in order to print on-campus.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Southwestern University has two Goodwill bins on campus that students use for donating unwanted clothes, shoes, books, and toys. This helps low-income families while increasing our overall diversion rate. During summer and winter breaks, surplus furniture and appliances are donated to the Habitat for Humanity ReStore in Georgetown. Habitat for Humanity ReStores is a nonprofit home improvement store and donation center that sell new and gently used furniture, appliances, home accessories, building materials, and more to the public at a fraction of the retail price.
Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.