Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 26.70
Liaison Raymond Bowdish
Submission Date Feb. 4, 2020
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

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

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.45 / 8.00
"---" 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 233.80 Tons 93.35 Tons
Materials composted 0.60 Tons 0 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 0.43 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 91.71 Tons 99.30 Tons
Total waste generated 326.54 Tons 192.65 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:
The Campus uses zero sort for recyclables assisted with custodial staff sorting through trash; food prep compost is separated and donated to local farms.

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Jan. 1, 2018 Dec. 31, 2018
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2017 Dec. 31, 2017

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):
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 1,958 1,881
Number of employees resident on-site 6 8
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 3,629 3,587
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 709 696
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 13 10
Weighted campus users 3,734.75 3,677

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.09 Tons 0.05 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:
71.91

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
71.91

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 Yes
Other (please specify below) Yes

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
The Campus recycles all electronic waste and unwanted supplies, pre-consumer food waste, donations of disgarded move out items and auction of inoperable vehicles through New York State.

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?:
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 

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:
The Environmental Club had a recycling campaign this past year with new signage near waste and recycling stations.

A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
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A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
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A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
CHOOSE TO REUSE program: https://blogs.potsdam.edu/officesupplies/ Surplus campus office supplies are inventoryed and moved to B-5 storage for reuse as needed;

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):
All electronics are on a 3-5 year life cycle, first cycle for student use on campus then passed down to the campus based on the greatest impact on students.

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):
Campus IT has undertaken several initiatives to reduce our environmental impact: Computer labs that power off during closed/late night hours. Information and Public Access Kiosks that are only active during building open hours. Purchase of duplex (two-sided) capable printers in our technology facilities when lifecycle replacements are due. Installation of the EcoFont on computers to reduce toner/ink use. Configuration of faculty/staff computers for recommended NYSERDA settings. Replacement of CRT computer displays for more energy efficient LCD flat panel displays. Student print quotas are restricted to 300pp/semester (color copies count as 3pp.)

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:
All course catalogs, course schedules, and directories are available online by default. We have not printed catalogs since 2018 and stopped printing course schedules and directories many years ago.

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The campus curently conducts move out donation collection points in all the residental halls and provides a used good sales for the local community to take advantage of the items that would otherwise be discarded.

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