| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 64.19 |
| Liaison | Melissa Cadwell |
| Submission Date | Jan. 23, 2025 |
Syracuse University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.13 / 8.00 |
Melissa
Cadwell Sustainability Coordinator Energy Systems & Sustainability Management |
Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 2,646.89 Tons | 2,159.56 Tons |
| Materials composted | 626.06 Tons | 300.61 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 70 Tons | 45 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 4,073.17 Tons | 2,445.21 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 7,416.12 Tons | 4,950.38 Tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
All materials are picked up separately and weighed separately.
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | July 1, 2010 | June 30, 2011 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
This is the year we have adopted for all sustainability reports as it is the year we chose for our baseline greenhouse gas inventory. We
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 8,137 | 8,112 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 2 | 31 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 21,104 | 18,856 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 5,064 | 4,587 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 1,355 | 1,531 |
| Weighted campus users | 20,644.50 | 18,469.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.36 Tons | 0.27 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator
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 | No |
| Plant materials | No |
| Animal bedding | No |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | No |
| Electronics | No |
| Laboratory equipment | No |
| Furniture | No |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| Scrap metal | No |
| Pallets | No |
| Tires | No |
| Other (please specify below) | No |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
The University sells its used food service oil, recycles all of its vehicle oil, and ensures all of its electronics are recycled properly through a third-party vendor.
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
Recycling Management
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?:
Contamination and Discard Rates
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
Our waste management company has to ensure we comply with less than 5% contamination rate, per Onondaga County rules and regulations for all waste.
Programs and Initiatives
We offer comprehensive waste and recycling education through “Lunch and Learn” sessions for the entire campus community. Each session is tailored to address the specific needs and challenges of the particular area of the campus we are engaging with.
Our commitment to sustainability is demonstrated by our longstanding participation in the Race to Zero Waste initiative.
To enhance our outreach, we maintain a robust social media presence that provides regular updates and information on recycling, composting, and waste management. Additionally, we utilize information screens located in our student center, academic buildings, and athletic facilities to share relevant waste-related messages.
We have also developed customized recycling and waste cards for our campus community. These cards, distributed to every student residing in the residence halls, serve as a practical guide for proper waste segregation and disposal.
Waste and recycling rooms across campus are clearly labeled with informative posters to help students understand the correct disposal procedures and locations for their items.
In collaboration with the Onondaga County Resource Recovery Agency, we ensure that our educational efforts align with local regulations and best practices. Furthermore, our membership with the New York State Association for Reduction, Reuse, and Recycling (NYSAR3) supports our commitment to promoting accurate and effective waste management practices throughout New York State.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Syracuse University completed the most recent waste audit utilizing students from the Maxwell College and Student Association. The audit was conducted using the waste and recycling from the Schine Student Center.
We also, go to our waste haulers facility and perform visual audits.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
Our contract has language stating minimized packaging, and many of our purchased items in bulk.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The University works with Auctions International to dispose of our excess property.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Our students utilize Facebook FreeCycle.
Also, several of our colleges offer reuse closest for students to exchange or donate their unused items for other students to utilize if needed.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Students are provided a $40 credit at the beginning of each academic year in August (this $40 credit covers the next 12 months) for printing services in the ITS public computer labs.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Syracuse University uses MySlice for class registration and class descriptions.
Blackboard is used to submit papers for many classes.
SU has migrated to an online Time Clock System which allowed the university to discontinue paper time sheets.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
The Grounds crew and Campus Planning and Design have created a program to use products that would normally have been sent to the landfill.
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:
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.