Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 75.77
Liaison Ezra Small
Submission Date March 2, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Massachusetts Amherst
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.16 / 8.00 Ezra Small
Sustainability Manager
Physical Plant
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 2,503 Tons 3,248 Tons
Materials composted 1,941 Tons 698 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 89 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 3,036 Tons 3,243 Tons
Total waste generated 7,569 Tons 7,189 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 July 1, 2016 June 30, 2017
Baseline Year July 1, 2008 June 30, 2009

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 13,594 12,420
Number of employees resident on-site 50 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 28,412 26,693.80
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 6,649 6,254.40
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 967 612
Weighted campus users 28,981.50 27,357.15

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.26 Tons 0.26 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0.62

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
59.89

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
59.89

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
Laboratory equipment Yes
Furniture Yes
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste Yes
Scrap metal Yes
Pallets Yes
Tires Yes
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 (e.g. materials that are actively diverted from the landfill or incinerator and refurbished/repurposed) :
89 Tons

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?:
No

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):
---

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:
---

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:

UMass participates in Recycle Mania annually. All residence halls have recycling guidelines and trash room recycling signage.


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 Waste Management conducts regular internal waste audits to determine percentage of trash contamination in the single-stream recycling and the percentage of recycling items in the trash bins for residence halls and classroom buildings.


A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
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A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:

UMass Amherst has the Surplus Barn that falls under the jurisdiction of the Office of Waste Management on campus. UMass offices can go to the barn and pick up furniture such as desks, chairs, tables, and filing cabinets. Offices that have furniture that they no longer want can send it to the barn so it can be reused.

http://www.umass.edu/wastemanagement/surplus-barn-showroom-useable-equipment-departments


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):

The Offices of the UMass Controller and of Procurement determine procedures for the purchase, transfer and disposition of University property – generally referred to as “Equipment.”

Equipment is defined as durable-repairable items (5 years or more life) having an estimated purchase value of $1,000 or more. The UMass Property Office presently tracks and applies UMA barcodes to equipment valued over $1,000 and to computers - regardless of purchase value. There is still equipment in circulation that was marked with UMA barcodes before the $1,000 threshold was established.

When OWM’s Moving Crew picks up equipment at the customer's office, we require that all items to be disposed be listed on Surplus Equipment Disposal Form (S.E.D.) so that wanted items are not mistakenly removed. For large quantity items (pcs, chairs) a single description should be provided along with the quantity of the item. For departmental deliveries to the WRTF/OWM office, only equipment with UMA tags and computers/memory storage devices must be listed on the S.E.D.


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):

Students only receive a credit of five dollars on their student card for free printing. After that five dollars students must pay for their own printing.


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:

UMass Amherst has its course catalogue online (SPIRE) where students can sign up for classes. The website provides students with their schedule as well as other important information such as their bill and major requirements. The University does not print a course catalog.

UMass also has People Finder attached to our main website to locate faculty and students so that they may contacted. It is the campus directory.


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

UMass Amherst partners with the Post Landfill Action Network (PLAN) to implement an annual Reuse Collection and Tag Sale called New2U. More info here: http://www.umass.edu/sustainability/waste-recycling/green-events/sustainable-move-out-new2u

Since 2007, waste generated during move-out has been reduced from 404 tons to under 300 tons.


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

UMass Residential Life partners with IRN to recover and donate residential hall unwanted furniture. UMASS Amherst’s absolute commitment to reuse over the last 13 years has resulted in 4,699,978 pounds (2,349 tons) of furniture and equipment diverted from the landfill, and placed in the hands of those that need it most.

IRN: The Reuse Network
7 South State St. Concord, NH 03301
Rep: Dave Smith (603-568-5300)
www.irnsurplus.com


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:

2008-2009 is our baseline year for Part 1 of this credit because that year is the earliest year of waste data available.

Materials donated or resold includes 10 tons from New2U Reuse Move-Out and 79 tons from IRN Residential Life furniture donations.


2008-2009 is our baseline year for Part 1 of this credit because that year is the earliest year of waste data available.

Materials donated or resold includes 10 tons from New2U Reuse Move-Out and 79 tons from IRN Residential Life furniture donations.

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.