| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.91 |
| Liaison | Elizabeth MacKenzie |
| Submission Date | June 25, 2024 |
University of Iowa
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.40 / 8.00 |
Elizabeth
MacKenzie Recycling Coordinator Facilities Management |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 2,401 Tons | 1,012.70 Tons |
| Materials composted | 404 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 2,487 Tons | 3,105.20 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 5,292 Tons | 4,117.90 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | Jan. 1, 2023 | Dec. 30, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | July 1, 2009 | June 30, 2010 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
In 2010 the University of Iowa adopted sustainability goals for the year 2020. One of these goals pertained to waste diversion and as such, 2010 is used as a baseline for University measures of waste production and diversion.
Note as of May 2, 2024: When preparing the 2024 report, we discovered that the 2010 baseline data included data from our hosipital system. Since we are not including our hospital system in this report, the baseline was updated to remove the hospital waste data from the 2010 baseline numbers. The "new" 2010 baseline data reflects waste totals for campus, not including the hospital. This is now an apples to apples comparison for the 2023 performance year data, which also does not include hospital data.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 6,415 | 5,496 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 15 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 5 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 29,140 | 27,500 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 10,982 | 9,228 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 1,958 | 1,130.93 |
| Weighted campus users | 30,235.50 | 28,071.80 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.18 Tons | 0.15 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
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 | No |
| Animal bedding | Yes |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | No |
| Electronics | No |
| Laboratory equipment | No |
| Furniture | No |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| Scrap metal | No |
| Pallets | No |
| Tires | No |
| Other (please specify below) | No |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year:
Does the institution use single stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
- Waste station monitoring at events,
- Standardized bins/signage across campus
- Custodial monitoring of bins
- Contamination fees charged by hauler
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
Tiny trash initiative reduces waste bin liner usage by up to 10% by weight and also encourages waste reduction due to smaller trash bin size. Water bottle refill stations encourage reduction of single use water bottles. Waste reduction messages are shared across campus on digital display screens.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
The Office of Sustainability aims to perform full waste audits as needed to assess waste composition and contamination rates. There are student created and operated waste audits on campus, periodically throughout the academic year. Visual spot checks are also performed regularly.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
Recognizing our impact as a significant purchaser of goods and services, Iowa State University's goal is to give preference to environmentally friendly products whose sustainability, function and quality are equal or superior to more traditional products and whose cost is equal or less.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The UI's Surplus program makes items available for reuse by selling surplus items via govdeals. The Surplus deartment also deconstructs unsellable items, such as cubicles and electronic devices and recycles the components. In addition, the UI waste management team coordinates with the statewide Iowa Waste Exchange program to find reuse/recycling outlets for hard to recycle items.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Through the university's ongoing Surplus Program, furniture, equipment and a diversity of supplies related to campus offices and operations that are deemed unneeded by one department and/or unit can be utilized by another department and/or unit rather than thrown away.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
For staff, all office printers are set to default double-sided printing.
For students, double-sided printing is mandated in the University Library. Previously, printing fees were deducted from a pre-paid $10 account charge. This pre-paid program was removed, so printing is pay-as-you-go, which changes the printing incentive structure.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Use of learning management systems allow professors to provide some course materials online. MyUI provides university resources online. Course catalogs, schedules, directories, and other resources are all available online as the default.
Through partnerships with Information Technology Services (ITS), a number of departments and units have reduced waste through opting for electronic options for projects, initiatives and day-to-day operations: Paperless options for functions including purchasing, financial transactions and communications, room scheduling, organization and event registration, venue reservation, record keeping, evaluation and exam administration. Resources including the University directory, course catalog and Dining menus have significantly reduced paper purchases, as well as costs and labor related to collection and recycling of diverted paper waste. Incorporating duplex (double-sided) printing defaults on all ITS managed printers has also reduce paper usage.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
University Housing coordinates with our waste hauler to provide extra recycling dumpsters during move in and move out to accomodate the increase in waste generated during those times.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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.