| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 82.88 |
| Liaison | Patrick McKee |
| Submission Date | Nov. 16, 2023 |
University of Connecticut
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
5.32 / 8.00 |
Patrick
McKee Senior Sustainability Program Manager Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 638.23 Tons | 985.36 Tons |
| Materials composted | 800 Tons | 800 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 71.64 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 281.22 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 2,360.22 Tons | 5,362.50 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 4,151.31 Tons | 7,147.86 Tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
UConn collects food waste from the dining halls on campus and sends it to Quantum Biopower in Southington, Connecticut. Quantum Biopower’s facilities utilize a multi-stage Anaerobic Digestion technology to decompose food without oxygen and create methane. The gas in turn is used to make electricity, fuel vehicles, and more.
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, 2005 | Dec. 31, 2005 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
The baseline was adopted as January 1, 2005 to December 31, 2005, because this was the first year that accurate data was available.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 11,921 | 11,524 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 19 | 26 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 8 | 8 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 21,410 | 18,616 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 4,340 | 4,570.29 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 636 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 21,828.50 | 20,285.22 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.19 Tons | 0.35 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
46.03
Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator
36.37
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
43.15
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:
The University of Connecticut also recycles clean fill material, diverting it from incineration.
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?:
No
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Contamination and Discard Rates
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A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
Facility Operations and Building Services, with the help of an Office of Sustainability Intern, has started a new initiative in 2017 to systematically audit all the high traffic areas on campus to find and replace outdated recycle bins with newly labeled and uniform bins. This effort has made a difference in eliminating confusing waste receptacles and ensuring that correct bags (black for trash, clear for recycling) are utilized to prevent contamination.
The Student Union was the main building retrofitted during 2019. The two main methods of recycling quality control that we have found to be effective are using “Saturn Lids” on the recycling bins and coupling recycling and garbage bins together. The Saturn Lids, pictured in a link below, have a slot that signifies paper should be discarded there, but also a circle in the middle of that slot that signifies bottles and cans can also be placed in the same bin. Based on surveys of the general student body, we have found that the messaging of “single stream recycling” is often confused with the idea that all recycling and garbage can be placed in the same bin. The Saturn Lids eliminate this problem because the tops are shaped specifically so that only recyclable materials can fit inside.
Coupling recycling and garbage bins together also controls recycling quality because students are likely to dispose of their waste, whether it be recyclable or not, in the nearest receptacle. When both options are available in one spot, they are more likely to dispose of their waste properly.
Additional quality control mechanisms are maintaining proper signage that clearly shows what can and cannot be recycled and using clear bags for recycling and black bags for trash to ensure proper sorting by custodial staff and our waste hauler.
The Student Union was the main building retrofitted during 2019. The two main methods of recycling quality control that we have found to be effective are using “Saturn Lids” on the recycling bins and coupling recycling and garbage bins together. The Saturn Lids, pictured in a link below, have a slot that signifies paper should be discarded there, but also a circle in the middle of that slot that signifies bottles and cans can also be placed in the same bin. Based on surveys of the general student body, we have found that the messaging of “single stream recycling” is often confused with the idea that all recycling and garbage can be placed in the same bin. The Saturn Lids eliminate this problem because the tops are shaped specifically so that only recyclable materials can fit inside.
Coupling recycling and garbage bins together also controls recycling quality because students are likely to dispose of their waste, whether it be recyclable or not, in the nearest receptacle. When both options are available in one spot, they are more likely to dispose of their waste properly.
Additional quality control mechanisms are maintaining proper signage that clearly shows what can and cannot be recycled and using clear bags for recycling and black bags for trash to ensure proper sorting by custodial staff and our waste hauler.
Programs and Initiatives
In the fall and spring of 2022, the Office of Sustainability (OS) hosted EcoMadness and RecycleThon, respectively. EcoMadness and RecycleThon are month-long competitions between UConn residence halls to encourage proper recycling practices among residents. EcoCaptains, student interns with the OS based in each residence hall, were responsible for auditing trash and recycling bins to measure the level of compliance with recycling guidelines; the compliance grade is based on the level of contamination in the trash and recycling streams. EcoCaptains are also responsible for educating and engaging residents in their area about the importance of following proper recycling habits. Analyzing the results of each competition demonstrated that recycling compliance improved over time.
Dining Services eliminated plastic bags from all of their To-Go food operations starting in 2019. Lastly, UConn students have partnered with the Town of Mansfield to institute the Town’s Bring Your Own Bag ordinance, which went into effect in March of 2019, banning single-use plastic bags and encouraging the use of reusable options.
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/ecomadness/
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/recyclethon/
https://dining.uconn.edu/reduce-single-use-plastics/
https://www.mansfieldct.gov/1586/Reusable-Bag-Campaign
There are also movements for the installation of more “Hydration Stations” throughout campus, which offer clean, cold, and convenient water refill stations. These stations can be conveniently found at over 60 locations across campus, with plans to install more.. The university hopes to encourage students to use reusable water bottles as they stay hydrated throughout the day instead of one-time use, resource intensive, plastic water bottles.
Another waste-related behavior change initiative is the newly-revamped “Green Piece” reusable container program in which students can purchase their meals at the Union Street Market Food Court; Earth, Wok, and Fire; and One Plate, Two Plate. Students can enroll in the program for a one time cost of $5, and receive a discount of $0.50 when they ask for a Green Piece container at any of the participating locations. The reusable containers have been designed for repeated use and are dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, and incorporated with Microban (NSF-approved). When a customer is finished with their meal, they return the container to the designated drop-off bin inside the Union Street Market or to any cashier. Then, the used containers are cleaned and sanitized in our dish machine before being restocked at service stations.
Lastly, if you use a reusable mug at a UConn café, the price is marked as a refill, which is approximately 50 percent cheaper than a cup of coffee in a disposable coffee cup.
https://dining.uconn.edu/re-usable-mugs/
https://dining.uconn.edu/thegreenpiece/
Dining Services eliminated plastic bags from all of their To-Go food operations starting in 2019. Lastly, UConn students have partnered with the Town of Mansfield to institute the Town’s Bring Your Own Bag ordinance, which went into effect in March of 2019, banning single-use plastic bags and encouraging the use of reusable options.
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/ecomadness/
https://sustainability.uconn.edu/recyclethon/
https://dining.uconn.edu/reduce-single-use-plastics/
https://www.mansfieldct.gov/1586/Reusable-Bag-Campaign
There are also movements for the installation of more “Hydration Stations” throughout campus, which offer clean, cold, and convenient water refill stations. These stations can be conveniently found at over 60 locations across campus, with plans to install more.. The university hopes to encourage students to use reusable water bottles as they stay hydrated throughout the day instead of one-time use, resource intensive, plastic water bottles.
Another waste-related behavior change initiative is the newly-revamped “Green Piece” reusable container program in which students can purchase their meals at the Union Street Market Food Court; Earth, Wok, and Fire; and One Plate, Two Plate. Students can enroll in the program for a one time cost of $5, and receive a discount of $0.50 when they ask for a Green Piece container at any of the participating locations. The reusable containers have been designed for repeated use and are dishwasher-safe, BPA-free, and incorporated with Microban (NSF-approved). When a customer is finished with their meal, they return the container to the designated drop-off bin inside the Union Street Market or to any cashier. Then, the used containers are cleaned and sanitized in our dish machine before being restocked at service stations.
Lastly, if you use a reusable mug at a UConn café, the price is marked as a refill, which is approximately 50 percent cheaper than a cup of coffee in a disposable coffee cup.
https://dining.uconn.edu/re-usable-mugs/
https://dining.uconn.edu/thegreenpiece/
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
As mentioned previously, Facility Operations and Building Services, with the help of an Office of Sustainability Intern, has started a new initiative in 2017 to systematically audit all the high traffic areas on campus to find and replace outdated recycle bins with newly labeled and uniform bins.
In addition, the Office of Sustainability hosted the two competitions mentioned before, EcoMadness and RecycleThon. In each competition, EcoCaptains audited recycling behavior, grading them based on the level of contamination in the trash and recycling streams. The data from these audits is being used to guide future outreach and education initiatives, as well as waste infrastructure improvements by Facilities Operations and Building Services.
Lastly, the Office of Sustainability partnered with Facilities Operations and Building Services to conduct custodial staff training sessions on proper waste handling. The goals of the training were to educate staff on separating waste properly (bag color), identifying contamination, and notifying their supervisor of any uncoupled bins. Pamphlets were provided to each staff member in English or Spanish, depending on their preferred language.
In addition, the Office of Sustainability hosted the two competitions mentioned before, EcoMadness and RecycleThon. In each competition, EcoCaptains audited recycling behavior, grading them based on the level of contamination in the trash and recycling streams. The data from these audits is being used to guide future outreach and education initiatives, as well as waste infrastructure improvements by Facilities Operations and Building Services.
Lastly, the Office of Sustainability partnered with Facilities Operations and Building Services to conduct custodial staff training sessions on proper waste handling. The goals of the training were to educate staff on separating waste properly (bag color), identifying contamination, and notifying their supervisor of any uncoupled bins. Pamphlets were provided to each staff member in English or Spanish, depending on their preferred language.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
Many offices across campus purchase snacks, coffee, and office supplies in bulk to share. This behavior is emphasized in the Green Office Certification Program, which guides offices in improving their sustainability. Further, Dining Services purchases in bulk and has nearly eliminated all purchases that contain Styrofoam packaging. Hydration stations have also been installed in over 60 locations throughout campus, which prevent waste generated from single use water bottles and plastic water jugs.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The University Surplus Program allows UConn departments to send their unwanted equipment, furniture, and supplies to the Surplus Store where they will either be recycled or reused. There are showroom hours every Tuesday and Thursday during which UConn departments can peruse the supplies and tag which items they want. As of right now, the Surplus Store is open only to UConn departments and other state agencies.
https://surplus.ubs.uconn.edu/
https://surplus.ubs.uconn.edu/
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
The UConn Bookstore has a variety of platforms in place that encourage the reuse of textbooks among students. For example, students can rent their textbooks, which they return at the end of the semester, for a reduced price. There are also used textbooks that students can buy at a reduced price instead of buying the brand new book. The bookstore will also buy back textbooks from students that can then be sold the next year.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
The printers on campus cost 5 cents per side for black and white and 15 cents per side for color, and many computers across campus have double-sided printing as their default. Double sided printing and using print preview before printing in order to minimize the need for reprinting is a highlighted behavior change in the Green Office Certification Program offered to UConn offices to improve their sustainability.
The University instituted a program in 2019 called HuskyPrint, whose goals are to make printing more efficient and productive by allowing students to upload documents to an online portal before printing. This portal enables students to select only the desired document at the printer and avoid printing multiple versions or wrong documents. Benefits of the program include reduction in energy usage and paper consumption.
The University instituted a program in 2019 called HuskyPrint, whose goals are to make printing more efficient and productive by allowing students to upload documents to an online portal before printing. This portal enables students to select only the desired document at the printer and avoid printing multiple versions or wrong documents. Benefits of the program include reduction in energy usage and paper consumption.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
All course catalogs, major requirements, and teaching evaluation surveys are online. All schedules, transcripts, fees, and other business are all handled online via the People Soft student administration system.
For academics, nearly all professors utilize HuskyCT, a website by Blackboard, where they can post all course materials and accept assignment submissions as opposed to collecting and distributing paper copies.
For academics, nearly all professors utilize HuskyCT, a website by Blackboard, where they can post all course materials and accept assignment submissions as opposed to collecting and distributing paper copies.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
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A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Agricultural waste, such as manure and animal bedding, from the University farm are composted annually. In addition, Dining Services has a pre- and post- consumer food waste diversion program in which food waste is being sent to Quantum Biopower in Southington, CT, where it is anaerobically digested and converted into renewable biogas. The remaining co-product is used for livestock bedding, compost, and fertilizer. This program has recently been scaled up in 2019 to include all eight dining halls and catering operations. Further expansion is expected in the future.
Furthermore, in partnership with UConn Dining Services and UConn Community Outreach, Food Recovery collects and delivers surplus food to the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic, CT. This diverts food waste from incineration and benefits local community members in need.
Furthermore, in partnership with UConn Dining Services and UConn Community Outreach, Food Recovery collects and delivers surplus food to the Covenant Soup Kitchen in Willimantic, CT. This diverts food waste from incineration and benefits local community members in need.
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:
Notes about the submission (public):
Assume 1 cubic yard of landscape waste= ~650 kg
The weight value for materials reused, donated, or resold was not quantified for the 2005 baselines but the dollar value was $60,782
Assume 1 cubic yard of landscape waste= ~650 kg
The weight value for materials reused, donated, or resold was not quantified for the 2005 baselines but the dollar value was $60,782
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.