Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 61.37
Liaison Suzanne Davis
Submission Date Oct. 26, 2020

STARS v2.2

University of Queensland
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 5.72 / 8.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 1,926.36 Metric tons 2,982.60 Metric tons
Materials composted 420.78 Metric tons 0 Metric tons
Materials donated or re-sold 36.43 Metric tons 11.88 Metric tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Metric tons 0 Metric tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 2,976.87 Metric tons 13,740.07 Metric tons
Total waste generated 5,360.43 Metric tons 16,734.53 Metric tons

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, 2018 Dec. 31, 2018
Baseline Period Jan. 1, 2013 Dec. 31, 2013

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 436 0
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 42,200 38,097
Full-time equivalent of employees 6,613 6,891
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 200 851
Weighted campus users 36,568.75 33,102.75

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.15 Metric tons 0.51 Metric tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
71.00

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
44.47

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
44.47

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 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?:
Yes

Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Yes

Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No

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

A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
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A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
---

A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
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A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
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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:
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A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
---

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
---

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

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:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
---

Data source(s) and notes about the submission:

UQ has adopted a substantial number of programs to improve reduce, reuse and recycling rates which has had a significant impact on diverting waste from landfill or incinerator. These include improving recycling rates (and therefore diversion) and introducing new programs. Reduction of consumption is the key message with initiatives such as print holds to reduce paper consumption (e.g. printing can only be released from the printer when a swipe card enables printing requiring the individual to be at the printer for collection. This has reduced paper waste from printing that is either not collected or duplicated.

The introduction of the WarpIt program enables the reuse of furniture and office/teaching equipment through an online resource sharing tool. The Green Caffeen program facilitates a swap and go reusable coffee cup program./

Programs have expanded and introduced for recycling many materials including paper, cardboard, glass, cans, plastics, polystyrene, composting, soft plastics, batteries, toner and inkjet cartridges, e-Waste, mobile phones, light bulbs, metals, furniture.


UQ has adopted a substantial number of programs to improve reduce, reuse and recycling rates which has had a significant impact on diverting waste from landfill or incinerator. These include improving recycling rates (and therefore diversion) and introducing new programs. Reduction of consumption is the key message with initiatives such as print holds to reduce paper consumption (e.g. printing can only be released from the printer when a swipe card enables printing requiring the individual to be at the printer for collection. This has reduced paper waste from printing that is either not collected or duplicated.

The introduction of the WarpIt program enables the reuse of furniture and office/teaching equipment through an online resource sharing tool. The Green Caffeen program facilitates a swap and go reusable coffee cup program./

Programs have expanded and introduced for recycling many materials including paper, cardboard, glass, cans, plastics, polystyrene, composting, soft plastics, batteries, toner and inkjet cartridges, e-Waste, mobile phones, light bulbs, metals, furniture.

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.