| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.77 |
| Liaison | Alex Roman Gonzalez |
| Submission Date | March 6, 2020 |
University of Cincinnati
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.06 / 8.00 |
Daniel
Hart Sustainability Coordinator Planning + Design + Construction |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 512 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials composted | 12.23 Tons | 190 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 298 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 5,266 Tons | 3,187 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 6,088.23 Tons | 3,377 Tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
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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 | July 1, 2015 | June 30, 2016 |
| Baseline Period | July 1, 2008 | June 30, 2009 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
For consistency's sake we have adopted a 2009 baseline across the board for all STARS operational credits, as that is the earliest year for which we have strong consistent data sets across categories.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 6,285 | 5,200 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 33,419 | 26,055 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 7,108 | 7,403 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 2,582 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 30,030 | 26,393.50 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.20 Tons | 0.13 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0
Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator
13.51
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
13.51
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 | Yes |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | Yes |
| Electronics | 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) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
N/A
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
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Recycling Management
Yes
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?:
Yes
Contamination and Discard Rates
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A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
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Programs and Initiatives
The Office of Sustainability is trying to simplify and amplify the recycling process for our students, faculty, and staff. We are doing this by installing uniform, connected landfill and recycling bins throughout campus. Uniform, clearly labeled bins will eliminate confusion as to which bins are recycling and which are trash, and therefore will increase the amount of recycling UC captures. The connected bins help by always providing a recycling bin next to a landfill bin, encouraging people who do not wish to look for a further away recycling bin to conveniently recycle their waste. The Office of Sustainability is going through building by building replacing the assortment of old bins with the new uniform, connected bins. These bins have been implemented in the following buildings: College of Law Building, Langsam Library, Tangeman University Center, Design, Art, Architecture, and Planning, Rieveschl, Zimmer, Care/Crawley, Marian Spencer Hall, Calhoun Hall, Siddall Hall, Marian Spencer Hall.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
The University of Cincinnati Office of Sustainability will conduct recycling audits with student volunteers and Rumpke in January 2016, additionally the Office of Sustainability plans to host a waste audit in the spring of 2021, with the intention of involving students to help sort material in an effort to better understand the UC's waste stream.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
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A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The Surplus Equipment Department serves the university community in all matters relating to the handling of surplus items. University organizational units are encouraged to reclaim assets from within the university wherever possible. In addition to offering items to university organizational units at no cost, the Surplus Equipment Department provides outlets for the sale of surplus items to the general public via the Monthly Public Sale.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Starbucks and other campus Cafe locations offer a discount for coffee if the customer brings in a reusable mug.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Students who are currently enrolled are given a print quota of at least 100 black-and-white pages per semester. Some colleges (e.g., medical) give an additional subsidy to their students. Black and white copies are 7¢ each and color copies are 50¢ each. Once a user runs out of money, they will need to add money to their student account in order to print additional pages.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
All materials including course catalogs, course schedules, and directories in addition to many more resources are available online.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Move-In / Move-Out
On campus at the beginning of each school year, the Office of Sustainability works with Grounds/Moving/Transportation, Housekeeping, R.E.D., and Housing to reduce material from ending up in the landfill through encouraging recycling. These efforts involve strategically placing additional recycling dumpsters throughout campus, working with volunteers, residence hall staff, and incoming students and families on the importance of recycling and how to recycle properly on campus.
Move Out
On campus at the end of each school year, the Office of Sustainability works with a variety of partners in the pursuit of diverting material from ending up in the landfill while also getting it to those in need. In the residence halls, donation bins from local charity organizations are deployed along with donation bins from the Bearcat Food Pantry. On the perimeter of campus, the Office hosts the annual Re*Use Market which functions as a donation hub and free store.
Re*Use Market
The Re*Use Market was founded in Spring 2008 by students who saw the need to reduce waste being sent to the landfill which could easily be reused by others in the community. The Re*Use Market continues to grow each year, attracting more donations and more individuals seeking treasures at the free market.
Furniture, household goods, non-perishable food items, electronics, books, clothing, sporting goods, toys, etc. are all accepted. The donations are placed in the Re*Use Market, and anyone from UC or the Greater Cincinnati community can come to take items they would like. At the end of the week, remaining items are given to local charities.
April 29 - May 3, Time TBA
270 Calhoun St. (grass space East of the Old YMCA building)
Uptown Waste Diversion
Off campus throughout the summer, students living in the neighborhoods surrounding the University tend to move out of their residences towards the end of July and at the beginning of August. In order to reduce litter, prevent blight, and divert waste from the landfill, starting in 2018, the Office of Sustainability began collaborating with the City of Cincinnati, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, and a variety of other local organizations to host the inaugural Uptown Waste Diversion event, where for two weeks, a central donation hub and recycling center is located in the Uptown area.
The 2020 Uptown Waste Diversion event is taking place at "block 1" across from Crossroads Uptown Church at 42 Calhoun St. from July 25th - August 2nd from 10am - 6pm.
UC's Uptown Waste Diversion program has been featured at the International Re*Use Connex Conference and via in AASHE Webinar.
On campus at the beginning of each school year, the Office of Sustainability works with Grounds/Moving/Transportation, Housekeeping, R.E.D., and Housing to reduce material from ending up in the landfill through encouraging recycling. These efforts involve strategically placing additional recycling dumpsters throughout campus, working with volunteers, residence hall staff, and incoming students and families on the importance of recycling and how to recycle properly on campus.
Move Out
On campus at the end of each school year, the Office of Sustainability works with a variety of partners in the pursuit of diverting material from ending up in the landfill while also getting it to those in need. In the residence halls, donation bins from local charity organizations are deployed along with donation bins from the Bearcat Food Pantry. On the perimeter of campus, the Office hosts the annual Re*Use Market which functions as a donation hub and free store.
Re*Use Market
The Re*Use Market was founded in Spring 2008 by students who saw the need to reduce waste being sent to the landfill which could easily be reused by others in the community. The Re*Use Market continues to grow each year, attracting more donations and more individuals seeking treasures at the free market.
Furniture, household goods, non-perishable food items, electronics, books, clothing, sporting goods, toys, etc. are all accepted. The donations are placed in the Re*Use Market, and anyone from UC or the Greater Cincinnati community can come to take items they would like. At the end of the week, remaining items are given to local charities.
April 29 - May 3, Time TBA
270 Calhoun St. (grass space East of the Old YMCA building)
Uptown Waste Diversion
Off campus throughout the summer, students living in the neighborhoods surrounding the University tend to move out of their residences towards the end of July and at the beginning of August. In order to reduce litter, prevent blight, and divert waste from the landfill, starting in 2018, the Office of Sustainability began collaborating with the City of Cincinnati, Keep Cincinnati Beautiful, and a variety of other local organizations to host the inaugural Uptown Waste Diversion event, where for two weeks, a central donation hub and recycling center is located in the Uptown area.
The 2020 Uptown Waste Diversion event is taking place at "block 1" across from Crossroads Uptown Church at 42 Calhoun St. from July 25th - August 2nd from 10am - 6pm.
UC's Uptown Waste Diversion program has been featured at the International Re*Use Connex Conference and via in AASHE Webinar.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
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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:
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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.