| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 66.09 |
| Liaison | Elizabeth Drake |
| Submission Date | March 3, 2023 |
Swarthmore College
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.32 / 8.00 |
Clare
Hyre Associate Director of Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 125.45 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials composted | 391.96 Tons | 179 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 184.18 Tons | 14 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 366.57 Tons | 760 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 1,068.16 Tons | 953 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 | Jan. 1, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2022 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2012 | Dec. 31, 2012 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
Many of these numbers come from the recycling report to the PA DEP each year. Other numbers are collected through facilities, ITS, grounds, and maintenance. The number for the performance year was gathered in the fall of 2022 as a part of the annual waste characterization study. Baseline year numbers for 2012 were used as a point of comparison in the waste characterization study.
Total materials disposed is was derived from the 2022 Waste Characterization Study diversion rate estimates, as we did not have a consistent tracking methodology with our waste hauler. However, starting in late 2022 and finishing in 2023, we process all waste through on-campus compactors that allow us to obtain precise measurements of waste. This will be reflected in future STARS reports.
Materials donated or re-sold includes clothing, textiles, furniture, and furnishings
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,548 | 1,443 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 13 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 9 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,696 | 1,552 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 908 | 713 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 2,352.25 | 2,059.50 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.45 Tons | 0.46 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 |
| Electronics | Yes |
| Laboratory equipment | No |
| Furniture | Yes |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| 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:
A substantial amount of furnishings was donated and resold as we transitioned out of our old dining hall into the new building.
All of the utensils and containers used by our dining services vendors across campus are compostable (Greenware). Clothing and dorm furniture is also frequently donated and resold (without charge) to our free store at the end of school years for the use of other students in future semesters.
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:
Compost contamination is directly sorted by student workers; recycling contamination rate has gone dramatically down since education efforts of the general campus have increased.
Formalized waste sort trainings during orientation and uniform signage has had a striking impact on the contamination rates in compost and recycling.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
"The College’s Zero Waste Working Group leads the College’s operational and educational efforts to achieve our waste targets. In the 2016-2017 academic year, the Zero Waste Working Group commissioned an initial report to summarize the status of campus integrated waste management.
In June 2022, Swarthmore College formally adopted the 2022 Zero Waste Plan, which establishes new goals for becoming a zero waste campus by 2035. The plan lays out strategies and priorities for achieving these goals by cultivating a culture of zero waste on campus, reducing our per capita waste consumption, and diverting as much recycling and compost away from our trash as possible."
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
The College now hosts an annual waste audit that samples waste over several days from ~6 campus buildings. We aim to make this a fun community event each fall, with music, activities, and a variety of educational opportunities. Other waste audits of buildings occur throughout the year as requested/determined.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
President's Sustainability Research Fellows and Green Advisors have led the development of policies to prevent waste. An ITS Printer Policy was informally instated in 2019. A Food Catering policy was implemented through Dining Services in 2022, and Events Managment updated their Green Events Guide in 2023. To date, these have only been informally implemented. https://www.swarthmore.edu/purchasing-office/sustainable-purchasing
https://www.swarthmore.edu/swarthmore-dining/catering-policy
https://www.swarthmore.edu/events-management/green-events-guide "
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
In 2021, green advisors spearheaded an effort to establish used packaging drop-offs that the community can then make use of when shipping or mailing items.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
The Worthmore Free Store is a donation-based enterprise that provides access to room furnishings and other supplies for students who may otherwise face cost or transport barriers in obtaining such items. Community members are able to donate or select items throughout the year during store hours, but most donations occur during spring move-out. Worthmore offers a large-scale collection program in the last few weeks of the semester.
Website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/sustainability/worthmore
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
All printing is set to double sided default settings. When printing posters or anything with colored ink in the Media Center, students must release their prints and are limited to the amount they are able to print.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
The College directory and course schedules are only online. Course catalogs are available online through the Registrar's Office website. All printing for public printers is set to a default setting to print double sided.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The Worthmore Free Store is a donation-based enterprise that provides access to room furnishings and other supplies for students who may otherwise face cost or transport barriers in obtaining such items. Community members are able to donate or select items throughout the year during store hours, but most donations occur during spring move-out. Worthmore offers a large-scale collection program in the last few weeks of the semester. In the fall, Green Advisors play a key role in move-in waste management through both educational efforts (e.g., sessions during New Student Orientation) and operationally with short-term specialized recyling dumpsters provision.
Website: https://www.swarthmore.edu/sustainability/worthmore
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
There are unofficial buy and sell groups across different social media platforms in which used furniture, clothing, and other appliances are exchanged between students.
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:
Baseline year for this submission was 2012 (numbers used from 2012 STARS report) while performance year was 2022.
Recycling values were not collected from 2012 (baseline year), explaining the 0 value.
Baseline year for this submission was 2012 (numbers used from 2012 STARS report) while performance year was 2022.
Recycling values were not collected from 2012 (baseline year), explaining the 0 value.
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.