Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 38.99
Liaison Hayley Berliner
Submission Date Oct. 28, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Trinity College (CT)
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 1.58 / 8.00 Hayley Berliner
Sustainability Coordinator
Finance & Operations
"---" 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 85.37 Tons 91.86 Tons
Materials composted 32.73 Tons 0 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 2.34 Tons 1.60 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 736.70 Tons 777.06 Tons
Total waste generated 857.14 Tons 870.52 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:
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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year July 1, 2018 June 30, 2019
Baseline Year July 1, 2017 June 30, 2018

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):
The same baseline is used throughout the report. Baseline adopted as it was the last year without a sustainability coordinator and without a formal composting program.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 1,882 1,898
Number of employees resident on-site 37 37
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 7 7
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 2,389 2,389
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 687 674
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 2,793.75 2,788

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.31 Tons 0.31 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
1.74

Part 3: Waste Diversion

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
14.05

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
14.05

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 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) No

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Trinity College participates in single stream recycling. Food waste is composted at all dining facilities. Frozen Food is donated to nearby shelters through Food Recovery Network. plant materials are composted on site. white goods, furniture, and residence hall move-out waste are re-sold or donated if in good condition. scrap metal and tires are sent to outside facilities to be recycled.

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) :
2 Tons

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):
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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:
All recycling bins have been labeled with single stream educational posters. Custodians have been trained to recycle bagged items if they perceive there to be less than a 5% contamination rate. Residential Assistants are asked to to inform sustainability coordinator of recycling bins they find lined with black bags. Black bags are only used for trash and can create miscommunication.

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:
Within the past year we updated all recycling bin signage. We started a large scale composting program in our dining facilities. Trained custodians on better recycling practices. We are Constantly using social platform to remind students of correct waste-related behaviors.

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 (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
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A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
A formal office supply swap was created during the fall of 2018. Both the office supply swap and Book exchange program have physical spaces near our office of community service. Our sustainability coordinator with help from students organizes these areas. We also created are Facebook page for the book exchange and office supply swap to share with everyone they items we have received and encourage students, faculty, and staff to visit the stations.

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):
The office supply swap and book exchange have a Facebook page where Trinity College students, faculty, and staff can see what is available or ask any questions.

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):
There is no free printing available to students and double sided printing is the default for all campus computers.

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 schedules, catalogs, and directories are available online. Only double sided directories are still being printed and distributed across campus.

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The office of community service in conjunction with our sustainability coordinator organize an end of the year program called dump and rum. This program allows students to donate all reusable items that they no longer want to keep. The items collected are sorted and used to stock our on-campus thrift store, book exchange, and office supply swap. Most clothing, fabric, unopened nonperishable food, and kitchenware are donated to local organizations.

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
The office of community service in conjunction with our sustainability coordinator organize an end of the year program called dump and rum. This program allows students to donate all reusable items that they no longer want to keep. The items collected are sorted and used to stock our on-campus thrift store, book exchange, and office supply swap. Most clothing, fabric, unopened nonperishable food, and kitchenware are donated to local organizations.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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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.