Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 36.72
Liaison Lindsey Abernathy
Submission Date July 17, 2019
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

University of Mississippi
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.68 / 8.00 Lindsey Abernathy
Associate Director
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization 

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 108.94 Tons 102.38 Tons
Materials composted 23.97 Tons 10.34 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 2,864 Tons 2,885 Tons
Total waste generated 2,996.91 Tons 2,997.72 Tons

If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:

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, 2013 June 30, 2014

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 (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):
The waste generation baseline was chosen based on the most accurate and complete historical data we were able to obtain. These are also the performance year and baseline years used in the university's greenhouse gas inventory update.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 5,123 5,099
Number of employees resident on-site 23 21
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 7 6
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 22,650 19,489
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 2,993.33 2,903.99
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 433.70 331.30
Weighted campus users 20,200.72 17,832.27

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.15 Tons 0.17 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
11.75

Part 3: Waste Diversion

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
4.43

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
4.43

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 No
White goods (i.e. appliances) No
Laboratory equipment No
Furniture No
Residence hall move-in/move-out waste No
Scrap metal No
Pallets No
Tires Yes
Other (please specify below) Yes

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
The figures above include electronic waste and gameday waste.

Optional Fields 

Active Recovery and Reuse

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) :
0 Tons

Recycling Management 

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?:
No

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

Contamination and Discard Rates 

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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Programs and Initiatives 

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:
The Office of Sustainability, along with the Associated Student Body, has implemented standardized recycling signage in several buildings on campus and continues to install this signage in phases. UM's Green Grove Gameday Recycling Program is also focused on learning outcomes and has assessment measures in place to gauge whether or not the program is achieving these outcomes. UM also regularly participates in the nationwide Gameday Challenge. Office of Sustainability staff also regularly present on recycling on campus to student groups, classes and new employee education.

A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
In spring 2019, students in two courses focused on data collection and communications conducted waste audits of several buildings on campus. The students produced papers that included their methodologies, observations and recommendations, which will be used by the Office of Sustainability to guide future waste reduction efforts.

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:
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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):
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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:
UM's course catalog, course schedules and directories are all online.

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The Department of Student Housing has a move-out program called "Lighten Your Load" in all the halls. Housing collects household, clothing and nonperishable food. The household and clothing go to the Salvation Army. The food is donated to the Oxford Food Pantry and recently to the UM Food Bank.

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:
The population data for this credit differs from the population data from IC-3 because the majority of the report is for academic year 2017-18, which is the data used in IC-3. This credit is reported for fiscal year 2017 and fiscal year 2014, hence the difference in population data. This discrepancy exists because we were already in the process of updating UM's greenhouse gas inventory (for FY 14 and FY 17) when we began STARS, and had already collected most of the waste data on the fiscal year calendar. Also, the university re-sells items but we did not collect that data for this submission due to time constraints. Landscape Services donates plant materials and composts the majority of leaves on campus, but we did not have weights to include those.

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.