Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 67.46
Liaison Brandon Raco
Submission Date Sept. 2, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Guelph
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.86 / 8.00
"---" 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 628 Metric tons 565 Metric tons
Materials composted 1,939 Metric tons 1,105 Metric tons
Materials donated or re-sold 41 Metric tons 5 Metric tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Metric tons 0 Metric tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 2,497 Metric tons 2,186 Metric tons
Total waste generated 5,105 Metric tons 3,861 Metric 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 Jan. 1, 2019 Dec. 31, 2019
Baseline Period Jan. 1, 2012 Dec. 31, 2012

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 4,700 4,744
Number of employees resident on-site 162 150
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 22,789.40 21,566.90
Full-time equivalent of employees 4,508 4,462
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 183.17 218.85
Weighted campus users 21,551.17 20,581.04

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.24 Metric tons 0.19 Metric tons

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

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:
51.09

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
51.09

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 Guelph participates in Textbooks for Change with 7 drop-boxes located on campus.

https://textbooksforchange.com/campus/university-of-guelph/

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?:
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 

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
25

A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
The University Centre Cafeteria has a staff member patrol the Waste Station directing people on how to properly sort their waste. There are three waste streams at that site. We also run various awareness campaigns ranging from social media outreach, to waste signage posters.

Programs and Initiatives 

A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
Reduce your Use, Choose to Reuse Digital Dashboard Campaign, Site Specific Waste Signage

A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
A verified third party is hired to conduct an annual waste audit. The results of the waste audit are compared annually to track and measure the efficacy of waste related interventions. The Waste Audit is conducted in compliance with Ontario Regulation 102/94

A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
Mindful Kitchen trains provides chefs knife training skills to reduce food waste.

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The University has a "Furniture Swap" program which allows the staff and faculty to post furniture, office supplies etc. for reuse.

A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
The Furniture Swap connect those looking for furniture to those who have furniture they no longer need.

A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Preset to print on both sides

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
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A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Move Out Madness Move Out Madness is a program that creates and promotes environmental and social sustainability by operating a variety of services for students during move out in April at the end of the academic year. The program is designed to help University of Guelph students to get rid of extra food, clothing, household, and bulk items that they no longer need as they move out of residence, town, or into another house. Habitat for Humanity, other students, and the Guelph Food Bank are the primary recipients of donated items.

Since its beginning in 2006, Move out Madness continues to be an initiative of Off-Campus Living, a division of Student Life at the University of Guelph. Many organizations collaborate to guarantee the success and growth of the program in order to have a cleaner and more sustainable neighbourhood, city, and environment.

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Electronic Waste Program recovers disposed electronics for resale/reuse.

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.