Overall Rating Reporter - expired
Overall Score
Liaison Mark Bremer
Submission Date March 30, 2021
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

State University of New York Polytechnic Institute
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete Reporter Mark Bremer
Lecturer & Green Team Chair
Arts & Sciences
"---" 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 112.27 Tons 194.50 Tons
Materials composted 0 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 290.85 Tons 222.67 Tons
Total waste generated 403.12 Tons 417.17 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:
N/A

Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year April 1, 2017 March 31, 2018
Baseline Year April 1, 2013 March 31, 2014

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):
Waste generation and diversion was determined as part of the annual Executive Order 4 reporting criteria. The 2013-14 baseline was adopted because a new single-stream recycling program was adopted campus-wide in August 2014.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 955 631
Number of employees resident on-site 3 3
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 1 1
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 2,844 1,893
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 396 263
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 711 255
Weighted campus users 2,137.25 1,585.25

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.19 Tons 0.26 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
28.33

Part 3: Waste Diversion

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
27.85

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
27.85

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 No
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste No
Scrap metal Yes
Pallets No
Tires Yes
Other (please specify below) No

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Hazardous wastes are collected and disposed of according to New York State regulations. Electronics are collected and sold for recycling.

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):
6.90

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 whole-building waste audit was conducted as part of a course project in the Spring 2019 semester in coordination with campus Facilities and the local waste authority.

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:
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A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
In April 2019 a whole-building waste audit was conducted of a mixed-use campus building, Kunsela Hall. In October 2019 a whole-building waste audit was conducted of Wildcat Field House. In September 2020 a whole-building waste audit was conducted of Cayan Library. In August 2014, the campus adopted the Oneida Herkimer Solid Waste Authority Single Stream program for recyclable wastes.

A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
Central purchasing buys office supplies like copy paper in bulk. Executive Order 4 prohibits the use of state funds to purchase bottled water.

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
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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):
Some office and computer lab printers are set to double-sided printing by default.

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:
Online course catalogs, course schedules, course registration, directories, employee time sheet reporting are online. Some forms are fillable online.

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