| Overall Rating | Bronze - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 26.70 |
| Liaison | Raymond Bowdish |
| Submission Date | Feb. 4, 2020 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
State University of New York at Potsdam
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.45 / 8.00 |
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 |
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 |
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 | 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:
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 | 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.
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?:
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?:
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?:
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:
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:
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
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:
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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.