Vassar College
OP-22: Waste Minimization

Part 1 

Institution has implemented source reduction strategies to reduce the total amount of waste generated (materials diverted + materials disposed) per weighted campus user compared to a baseline. 

Part 2 

Institution’s total annual waste generation (materials diverted and disposed) is less than the minimum performance threshold of 0.45 tons (0.41 tonnes) per weighted campus user. 

This credit includes on-campus dining services operated by the institution or the institution’s primary on-site contractor. 

Total waste generation includes all materials that the institution discards, intends to discard or is required to discard (e.g. materials recycled, composted, donated, re-sold and disposed of as trash) except construction, demolition, electronic, hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal and non-regulated chemical waste, which are covered in OP 24: Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion and OP 25: Hazardous Waste Management. 

This credit applies to all institutions. 

Each part is scored independently. Points earned are calculated according to the formulas below. Please note that users do not have to calculate the number of points earned themselves; points earned will be calculated automatically when the data listed under Section E: Reporting Fields is entered in the online Reporting Tool. 

Part 1 

Institutions earn maximum points of 2.5 points available for Part 1 by reducing their total waste generation by 50 percent or more compared to a baseline. Incremental points are awarded based on the percentage reduction achieved. For example, an institution that reduced the total amount of waste generated by 25 percent would earn 1.25 points (half of the points available for Part 1). 

STARS only awards positive points; points will not be deducted if the total amount of waste generated increases rather than decreases during the time period. 

Points Earned = 5 x { [ (A/B) - (C/D) ] / (A/B) } 

A = Total waste generated (diverted + disposed), baseline year (short tons/tonnes) 

B = Weighted campus users, baseline year 

C = Total waste generated (diverted + disposed), performance year (short tons/tonnes) 

D = Weighted campus users, performance year 

Part 2 

An institution earns the maximum of 2.5 points available for Part 2 of this credit when its total annual waste generation per weighted campus user is 90 percent less than the minimum performance threshold of 0.45 short tons (0.41 tonnes). Incremental points are awarded based on the institution’s performance between the threshold and the 90 percent target. For example, an institution that generates 0.25 tons of waste per weighted campus user (45 percent less than the threshold) would earn 1.25 points (half of the points available for Part 2). 

Points Earned = 2.78 x { [ C - (A/B) ] / C } 

A = Total waste generated (diverted + disposed), performance year (short tons/tonnes) 

B = Weighted campus users, performance year 

C= Minimum performance threshold (0.45 short tons or 0.41 tonnes) 

See scoring tables and example in the STARS Technical Manual.

Timeframe

Performance Year

Report the most recent data available from the three years prior to the anticipated date of submission. Institutions may use the most recent single year for which data is available or an average from throughout the period. Institutions may choose the annual start and end dates that work best with the data they have (e.g. fiscal or calendar year), as long as data are reported from a consecutive 12-month (or 3-year) period. 

Report annualized population figures from the same time period as that from which waste generation data are drawn (e.g. the consecutive 12-month or 3-year period that most closely overlaps with the waste generation performance period). 

Baseline Year

Report data from the baseline year, which may be: 

• Any year from 2005 to the present 
• A baseline year, 1990 to 2004, that the institution has adopted as part of its sustainability plans or policies or in the context of other reporting obligations 
• Recommended best practices for defining a baseline include: 
• Using the average of three consecutive years to reduce the impact of outliers. 
• Using the same baseline year for multiple credits to reduce reporting requirements. For example, institutions using 2005 for all STARS credits that are baseline-based would only have to calculate baseline weighted campus user data once. 
• Ensuring that baseline and performance year data are valid and reliable (e.g. that the data were gathered in the same manner) 

Institutions without valid and reliable historical data should use performance year data for both the baseline and performance year. Following this approach, an institution would not be able to claim points during its first STARS submission, but would be able to use its newly established baseline for subsequent submissions. 

Institutions may choose the start and end dates that work best with the data they have (e.g. fiscal or calendar year), as long as data are reported from a consecutive 12-month (or 3-year) period. Report annualized population figures from the same period as that from which waste generation data are drawn (e.g. the consecutive 12-month or 3-year period that most closely overlaps with the waste generation baseline period). 

Sampling and Data Standards

Waste figures measured in volume may be converted to weight using the conversion factors provided by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the College and University Recycling Council (used for the U.S. Recyclemania competition) or the conversion factors provided by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). 

To the extent possible, include all waste (diverted + disposed) that was generated by the institution and the institution’s primary on-site dining services contractor (if applicable) when reporting for this credit. Construction, demolition, electronic, hazardous, special (e.g. coal ash), universal and non-regulated chemical waste, which are covered in OP 25: Construction and Demolition Waste Diversion and OP 26: Hazardous Waste Management, are excluded. Agricultural waste may be excluded, provided it is excluded from both the volume of materials diverted and the volume of materials disposed. 

If data for the entire campus and/or entire year are not available, institutions may use a representative sample. When taking a sample, strive for consistency between the baseline and performance year.