Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 76.08
Liaison Tess Esposito
Submission Date March 1, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Dayton
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.67 / 8.00 Wes Napier
Manager of Contracted Services and Customer Service
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 1,930.22 Tons 262.68 Tons
Materials composted 98 Tons 0 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 8 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 1,573 Tons 2,353.48 Tons
Total waste generated 3,609.22 Tons 2,616.16 Tons

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 Jan. 1, 2018 Dec. 31, 2018
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2011 Dec. 31, 2011

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):
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 6,427 5,882
Number of employees resident on-site 8 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 21 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 10,208 10,043
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 2,735 2,376
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 253 355
Weighted campus users 11,147.25 10,518.50

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.32 Tons 0.25 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
56.42

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
56.42

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 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 No
Other (please specify below) No

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
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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) :
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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?:
Yes

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

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:
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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:

Save the Tap campaign promoted using reusable bottles instead using plastic water bottles.
Informational signage in all dining facilities across campus showing the proper way to dispose of trash, recyclables and compost.

UD participates in RecycleMania, "a friendly competition for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities."

Over 1,000 undergraduate students complete a one hour, online education module regarding the importance of composting and recycling and how to do so on campus. Student made videos used for the modules can be found here: https://youtu.be/K9ErORFGm_Q, https://youtu.be/09OjGtSN6DQ

The Hanley Sustainability Institute collaborated with Dining Services to divert over 90% of waste from the 2018 Culture Fest (on campus event with over 1,000 attendees) to compost and recycling, making it a Zero Waste Event. Students created signage and staffed the waste bins to ensure proper sorting while Dining Services provided all compostable serviceware for the event. A similar effort was made for the Faculty & Staff Picnic in the Fall of 2018, however, the waste diversion rates did not top the 90% required for Zero Waste status.


A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:

Students completed a waste audit during the 2018 Reunion Weekend to determine possible changes in purchasing habits and bin placement that could be made in following years to reduce waste.

Students completed a waste audit on several floors of a first-year dormitory. After baseline measurements were taken over several weeks, the students implemented changes to the waste room, bin type, and signage to determine which most reduced contamination rates.

143 students participated in a composting pilot program in the fall of 2018. The results from the pilot study are being used to determine the feasibility of a permanent, on-campus compost program.

A student managed vermicomposting bin fueled by organic waste from campus offices is being piloted in one of the administrative buildings. The results from this pilot will be used to determine the viability of expanding vermicomposting to other administrative buildings across campus.


A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):

The University considers the prudent expenditure of funds to be an important responsibility, and requires all persons having such authority to exercise good judgment in authorizing expenditures, regardless of the source of funds. All purchases must take into account the total life cycle cost of an item; including the acquisition, usage, energy, maintenance/repair and disposal costs. All appliances, computers/electronics, equipment, heating/cooling, lighting, etc. must be ENERGY STAR Certified. Products that are Green Seal certified are labeled as so. Consideration is also taken to purchase in bulk in order to reduce both cost and waste.


A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:

Supplies that can not be used on campus are regularly diverted to the Montgomery County Materials Reclamation Facility. This facility makes surplus donated supplies available to local non-profit organizations and educational facilities. In addition to office supplies, we also divert books, furniture and displays to this facility.


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):
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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. They are charged a per-sheet fee, which is deducted from their student account or payable with a credit card.

In 2018, UDIT installed secure iPrint, which requires an ID card to release print jobs. This added feature enforces behavior change and discourages printing, resulting in a marked decrease in paper consumption.


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:

UD no longer prints course catalogs. All course catalogs, course schedules, and directories are available online through the University portal called Porches. Porches is available to all faculty, staff and students.


A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:

The university partners with local charitable organizations to capture about 30 tons of furniture, clothing, kitchen supplies, books, electronics, bedding, and other housewares during the move out period each spring. Because we have such a large inventory of single family homes and duplexes in our university housing stock, students often have a large quantity of usable housewares and furniture they can not or do not wish to take with them. We provide drop-off locations and a pick-up service to divert this material from dumpsters.


A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
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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.