Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 40.80
Liaison Karen Marin-Hines
Submission Date Feb. 26, 2021

STARS v2.2

Texas Tech University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.49 / 8.00 Jessica Bunyard
Analyst
BIMAR
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 613.26 Tons 345 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 3,504.73 Tons 3,614 Tons
Total waste generated 4,117.99 Tons 3,959 Tons

If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:

A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Period Sept. 1, 2019 Aug. 31, 2020
Baseline Period Jan. 1, 2010 Dec. 31, 2010

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:
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 7,414 6,592
Number of employees resident on-site 169 203
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 35,780 29,702
Full-time equivalent of employees 6,704 4,167.25
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 2,186 2,980
Weighted campus users 32,119.25 24,865.69

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.13 Tons 0.16 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
19.47

Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
14.89

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
14.89

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 No
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 Yes
Tires Yes
Other (please specify below) Yes

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Bicycles, clothing, and Styrofoam.

Optional Fields 

Active Recovery and Reuse

Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year:
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Recycling Management 

Does the institution use single stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
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Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Yes

Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
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Contamination and Discard Rates 

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
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A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
Material is hand sorted at recycling center

Programs and Initiatives 

A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
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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:
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A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
More sustainable items are list in purchasing catalogs

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Surplus property is stored centrally and offered for requisition to, and by, any Texas Tech entity. Property not claimed from surplus is liquidated via public auction.

A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
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A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Printing is tracked and charged via an e-card system embedded in each student's University ID card.

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Texas Tech University has reduced printed course catalogs, schedules, and directories. Students, faculty, and staff access these services via the internet.

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Housing Services' recycling center provides containers for recyclable waste. These containers are provided on a year-round basis at all residence hall locations. Extra container services are implemented at move in/out, including cardboard containers and additional pickup locations. Housing Services has purchased a Styrofoam densifier to reduce/recycle Styrofoam collected around campus, particularly on move-in days for the residence halls.

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Operations Division provides a metal recycling roll off, to collect metal recyclables from shops, labs, and others on campus. Cardboard recycle bins are placed behind each dining hall to collect cardboard and recycle. Housing Services operates a recycle center that is used by student, faculty, and staff on campus; additionally, they encourage and accept recyclables from city residents.

Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Additional support: http://www.depts.ttu.edu/housing/

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.