| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.44 |
| Liaison | Andrea Trimble |
| Submission Date | March 4, 2021 |
University of Virginia
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.28 / 8.00 |
Jesse
Warren Sustainability Program Manager Facilities Management - Energy & Utilities |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 2,554.88 Tons | 3,487.06 Tons |
| Materials composted | 880.25 Tons | 375.45 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 28.58 Tons | 17.48 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 7,915.81 Tons | 7,124.49 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 11,379.52 Tons | 11,004.48 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
Additional materials sent to landfill are sorted at Material Recovery Facility (Van der Linde), but reliable data on diversion rates isn't available, so those numbers are not reported here, though they would benefit the overall diversion numbers.
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | Jan. 1, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2010 | Dec. 31, 2010 |
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 | 7,076 | 6,623 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 69 | 69 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 612 | 566 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 22,935 | 20,449 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 16,607 | 13,295 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 32,054.75 | 27,547 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.36 Tons | 0.40 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:
e-waste - batteries, etc.
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:
We hand sort (then bale) all plastic, plastic films, aluminum, steel & glass.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
UVA is rolling out a new recycling system using Ergo cans, with clearer signage and co-located bins. Office and residence hall recycling guides, as well as a zero waste guide for events, assist in communicating what can be recycled at UVA.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The ROSE Program (Reusable Office Supply Exchange) collects gently or never used office supplies from departments throughout U.Va. and makes these materials available to the community. ROSE is offered by the recycling division and offers used binders, file folders, staplers and other like office supplies to the university to reduce over purchasing of these items. It is frequented by staff and students alike and hundreds of pounds are diverted from land fills weekly. Excess binders are also donated to local schools for use by primary school students that might not otherwise afford them.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
The UVA ReUSE Store supports the collection, sale and reuse of surplus property, which includes university-owned unneeded property, including unclaimed, lost or abandoned property, regardless of age and condition. The program supports the University’s sustainability efforts by extending the life cycle of items that may have otherwise been directed to a landfill.
The ReUSE Store handles office furniture, general surplus items and computer/electronic surplus equipment.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Computer labs have reduced the number of printers and began to charge per sheet fees to students in an effort to reduce paper consumption and the rising cost of equipment, repair / replacement.
Double sided printing is enabled by default in many departments and colleges. Annual targeted outreach campaigns like the "Duplex Derby" also encourages organizations to compete to reduce their footprint.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
The University of Virginia Student Information System is an all-in-one online system where students and faculty manage students' academic progress, from course advising and registration to financial aid. Printed course catalogs and schedules are not available by default.
The University of Virginia contracts with University Directories, a company dedicated to publication of
college directories, to publish the U.Va. Telephone Directory. Communications Services places an order
with University Directories based upon departmental requests plus the number of dorm rooms on Grounds with a telephone, plus an additional number to satisfy external requests. Given that printed directories are ordered by default for all U.Va. dorm rooms, the University does not fully meet the criteria of this credit. A 2009 study reviewing options to reduce or eliminate the printed telephone directory is available at the link below:
http://www.virginia.edu/processsimplification/teams/directory.html
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
"Hoos Reuse" in which non profit organizations come on grounds to collect gently used clothing, furniture and household items for reuse. Drop off locations are set up near residence halls to encourage students to donate items, rather than trash them. Ecycling is also collected at these events.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
UVA surplus collects furniture intended for disposal, which is collected by Goodwill.
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 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.