| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 73.80 |
| Liaison | Corey Peterson |
| Submission Date | June 2, 2022 |
University of Tasmania
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.15 / 8.00 |
Sustainability
Team UTAS Infrastructure Services and Development |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 447 Metric tons | 413 Metric tons |
| Materials composted | 81 Metric tons | 0 Metric tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 49 Metric tons | 4 Metric tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Metric tons | 0 Metric tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 2,124 Metric tons | 2,439 Metric tons |
| Total waste generated | 2,701 Metric tons | 2,856 Metric 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, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2021 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2015 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,241 | 908.58 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 0 | 0.67 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0.58 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 17,659 | 15,500.97 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 2,895 | 2,743.76 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 6,216 | 3,648.29 |
| Weighted campus users | 11,063.75 | 11,175.22 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.24 Metric tons | 0.26 Metric 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 | No |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | No |
| Electronics | Yes |
| Laboratory equipment | Yes |
| Furniture | Yes |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| Scrap metal | Yes |
| Pallets | No |
| Tires | No |
| Other (please specify below) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
The University's provider also collects and recycles sawdust and light tubes
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:
The University is installing camera sensors in landfill skip bins. In part, the objective is to identify items that can be recycled but currently are not (which will be visible through the camera feed) and create a recycling program (for items that are not currently recyclable through council collection) as well as educate the University community so these items are recycled in the future.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
- Waste reduction posters (procurement and recycling) developed and displayed regularly in several locations per campus.
- University specific signage on waste and recycling bins lids and on walls next to or near bins.
- Bin rationalisation: removal of single waste bins from offices, replaced with a hub (multi-stream) to serve a large work area.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Various waste audits have been conducted ad hoc as part of curricular projects or SIPS (Sustainability Integration Program for Students). For example, a qualitative audit of external bins/skips at various student residencies was conducted in 2021 to assess efficiencies and contamination.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
The University's Waste Minimisation Action Plan 2021-2025 is publicly available (https://www.utas.edu.au/infrastructure-services-development/sustainability/recycling-and-waste-management). This action plan guides the entire University community in achieving our resource recovery and waste minimisation objectives using waste hierarchy in all university operations and activities.
The University's Procurement Policy (https://www.utas.edu.au/policy/policies/governance-and-accountability/6.9-Procurement-Policy) mandates that "procurement decisions must first consider the use of existing University resources, facilities and expertise" and that "all procurement decisions will (...) consider sustainable and ethical principles".
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
The Tasmania University Union manages a reuse centre in Newnham campus, where staff and students can leave unwanted items or take items they need.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Reduction of office paper use from the implementation of an online Shared Services forms and approvals solution and deployment of a new On-site Managed Print Service (OMPS). Printing jobs can be cancelled and are deleted if not released in a few hours. Double-printing as the default option for all printers.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
All course guides, unit information, directories, etc. are available online. Some materials are printed for specific events (e.g., Open Day)
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Accommodation Services organises end of year clean ups where unwanted items are stored, donated or recycled.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
The University's furniture Re-Use Program (https://www.utas.edu.au/infrastructure-services-development/sustainability/recycling-and-waste-management/re-use-program) allows staff to:
- List unwanted furniture that are suitable for re-use within the University
- View and search an online catalogue of furniture
- Claim or request an item
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:
Note that the amount of composting and materials donated and resold have increased considerably from the baseline year because of the implementation of various programs including the Re-Use Program mentioned above, as well as IT procedures (prioritising reuse and donation, followed by recycling) and the provision of FOGO (food organic and garden organics) collection in recent years.
Note that the amount of composting and materials donated and resold have increased considerably from the baseline year because of the implementation of various programs including the Re-Use Program mentioned above, as well as IT procedures (prioritising reuse and donation, followed by recycling) and the provision of FOGO (food organic and garden organics) collection in recent years.
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.