Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 45.51
Liaison Dan DeZarn
Submission Date Nov. 25, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

State University of New York at Geneseo
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.06 / 8.00 Dan Dezarn
Director of Sustainability
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 288.41 Tons 607.31 Tons
Materials composted 32.10 Tons 139 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 1.45 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 1,066 Tons 498.30 Tons
Total waste generated 1,387.96 Tons 1,244.61 Tons

A brief description of the residual conversion facility, including affirmation that materials are sorted prior to conversion to recover recyclables and compostable materials:
---

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, 2015 Dec. 31, 2015

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):
---

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 2,987 3,400
Number of employees resident on-site 20 11
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 5 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 5,436 5,579.67
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 823 796
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 5,451 5,634.50

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.25 Tons 0.22 Tons

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

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
23.20

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
23.20

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 No
Tires Yes
Other (please specify below) Yes

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

CAS has resold or donated 2 cars.


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) :
---

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?:
Yes

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

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:

Colored recycling bins with clear labels of what can and cannot be recycled in the appropriate bins.
These bins now also have lids are designed to show what kind of materials belong in which bin
Plastic recycling bins have circle holes in the lid, while paper has a big rectangular slit in the middle.
Both of these are blue while landfill bins are black.


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:

"Recyclable only" 35 gallon garbage cans used at large events such as "Ready or not day" and the Freshman picnic. Sustainability members assisted consumers with proper recycling of items.

Color coordinating and clear labels of recyclable materials.

Composting initiative: Compost bins are available in each residence hall and academic building for use. Each bin is labeled with what is compostable and what is not, including signs around campus and in the residence halls themselves. There is a residence hall composting competition every Earth Week in April to see which residence hall can compost the most waste.


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

Composting Program


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

Executive Order 4 - Purchase of 100% recycled paper products
Executive Order 11 - Requires purchase of energy star appliances only
Geneseo Printing Optimization Policy - prohibiting desktop printers


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 (e.g. of electronics, furnishings, books and other goods):
---

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 have to pay per page printed. Each page costs 10 cents (5 cents if it's double sided) for black and white printing. 30 dollars is prepaid via tuition and students can add more money to their accounts as needed.


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:

Course catalogs, schedules and directories can all be found online and can all be printed by students. Most professors do not print these out for individual students. Course syllabi, lectures, and general materials are available through the online myCourses registry.


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

Geneseo partners with Livingston Cares and St. Paulies Textiles to donate unwanted items from students when they move-out of the residence halls. Students are also encouraged to recycle anything that they cannot donate.

The Geneseo Gives Back program also takes item and food donations from the dormitories and sells them at the Interfaith Tag Sale. All monetary proceeds from the sale are used to fund the Interfaith Center facility. At the Tag Sale, community members can buy donated items at inexpensive prices. In this way, donations both reduce waste and serve the members of the Geneseo community.

Any items unsold at the event are donated to the Geneseo Goodwill store. All food items are donated to the Geneseo-Groveland Food Pantry, located at St. Mary's church in Geneseo.


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

The college upholds a recycling standard for antiquated or used items and materials. Equipment removed from service is offered as surplus to other entities or recycled to the extent that it can be.


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:

Information Retrieved from:
Darlene Necaster
Jamee Thorton (handles GLOW Reports)
Tom D'Angelo


Information Retrieved from:
Darlene Necaster
Jamee Thorton (handles GLOW Reports)
Tom D'Angelo

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.