University of Texas at Austin
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.11 / 8.00 |
Linsey
Hutchison Senior Administrative Program Coordinator Resource Recovery |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 2,148 Tons | 2,177 Tons |
| Materials composted | 976 Tons | 860 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 430.06 Tons | 1 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 4,834 Tons | 4,353 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 8,388.06 Tons | 7,391 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
In recent years, the University of Texas at Austin has worked to increase the credibility of waste diversion numbers including better methodologies for estimating weights, getting accurate weights in areas that were previously estimated, and working to understand and then decrease contamination throughout campus. Resource Recovery has increased outreach and initiatives and is in the process of launching a number of programs aimed at increasing waste diversion throughout campus.
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | Sept. 1, 2018 | Aug. 31, 2019 |
| Baseline Period | Sept. 1, 2014 | Aug. 31, 2015 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
FY14-15 is the first year of robust data available.
Baseline and Performance year unchanged from 2020 submission. Clearly COVID has altered campus activity and decreased waste generation overall which would have increased STARS points, but not be a reflection of 'normal' campus activity.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 7,400 | 7,327 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 16 | 16 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 211 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 48,479 | 45,609 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 14,998 | 12,849 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 30 | 78 |
| Weighted campus users | 49,650.25 | 45,620.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.17 Tons | 0.16 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 | 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 | Yes |
| Other (please specify below) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Compost food-service packaging, recycle some batteries, recycle from some labs: nitrile gloves, film plastic, ice packs, styrofoam, lab glass; architecture school Materials Exchange, All books from libraries are donated and reused or recycled 100%, Surplus resells all manner of disused campus items including Athletics equipment
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:
Outside of COVID times, UT Austin Resource Recovery employs a team of students that conduct waste audits throughout campus to determine the quantity and type of recycling contamination. This information informs Resource Recovery outreach and educational materials. A campus-wide effort was completed in summer 2021 to install new, improved bin signage across academic buildings.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
The University continues its outreach and education regarding zero waste, recycling, composting, and use of Surplus Property. In classroom and office buildings, Resource Recovery is pairing trash and recycle bins, updating bin labels and posters, and working with Champions to provide deskside mini bins and breakroom composting. Resource Recovery's Zero Waste Workplace program provides educational presentations and breakroom compost trainings. Resource Recovery also has updated bin signage and website content. The Resource Recovery Zero Waste Events program provides personalized consultations to staff and faculty event planners to provide correct disposal guidance for upcoming events, trains the planner on correct composting collection, and encourages the use of bin monitors to educate guests and correct any contamination. A new store was launched within the event planning request form to make compostable materials easier to source for events. Students conduct outreach including during freshman orientation with a session and lunch diversion support.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Pre-COVID, Resource Recovery employs a team of students that conduct waste audits throughout campus. They document material stream composition, diversion rates, common contaminates, etc. The entire Resource Recovery student internship program conducted a waste characterization study of the Pickle Research Campus in 2016 to determine waste stream and diversion rates. Additional focus is also being given to the compost stream at the building level in order to identify and provide specific corrective feedback as composting programs rollout.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
A green purchasing policy was incorporated into the university's Handbook of Business Procedures in 2012. The policy is broad and general providing total cost of ownership considerations in order that departments should select sustainable products whenever reasonably practical.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Surplus Property is required by state law. Any item purchased by the University must be sent to Surplus for redistribution to campus, donation, auction. In the warehouse there is a specific section for office supplies. Items are made available for campus reuse first and then sold through a public store or online auction. The Office of Sustainability hosts an annual office supply swap to capture and exchange items.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Surplus Property is required by state law. Any item purchased by the University must be sent to Surplus for redistribution to campus, donation, auction. The warehouse is open every Friday for campus users to take anything they want for the office for free. A social media account keeps attention on opportunities to acquire Surplus Property.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Free printing is not available to most students. Students pay for UTprint services with Bevo Bucks. Both the Green Labs and Green Office programs encourage double-sided printing as the default setting. Summer orientation no longer provides flyer packs.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Course catalogs and schedules are available online by default. Summer orientation schedules are provided via app. Timesheets are entered and processed online by default.
Many paper-based operations have been converted to electronic documents and processes. Printed class schedules and course catalogues are no longer available to students. Business and Financial Services has converted timesheets, pay action, and document signing processes to electronic documents. Purchase requests and work orders have been converted to majority electronic processes.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The Campus Environmental Center, a student organization, sponsored by the Office of Sustainability runs Trash to Treasure, a residence hall move out donation program. During exam period every May, bins are placed in the lobbies of all residence halls on campus for donations. Items are collected, sorted, and either donated or resold the following year.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Wood from campus tree removal is repurposed to make furniture and diploma frames. Landscape Services manages compost piles of leaf waste for reuse on campus. Discarded recycle bins are recovered by Surplus Property and made available back to campus upon request. A student Food Recovery Network chapter redistributes unused food. Battery collection locations receive and sort batteries for recycling.
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 large change in 'Materials donated or re-sold' between the Baseline and Performance year is attributable to the Surplus REuse Store which began operations in 2017. https://facilitiesservices.utexas.edu/divisions/support/surplus-property/surplus-reuse-store
The large change in 'Materials donated or re-sold' between the Baseline and Performance year is attributable to the Surplus REuse Store which began operations in 2017. https://facilitiesservices.utexas.edu/divisions/support/surplus-property/surplus-reuse-store
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.