Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 50.80
Liaison Aldo Pierini
Submission Date March 27, 2018
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Villanova University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.87 / 8.00
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization 

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 440.01 Metric tons 476.27 Metric tons
Materials composted 195.95 Metric tons 77.11 Metric tons
Materials donated or re-sold 0.45 Metric tons 9.07 Metric tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Metric tons 0 Metric tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 1,512.28 Metric tons 2,328.74 Metric tons
Total waste generated 2,148.70 Metric tons 2,891.20 Metric tons

If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:

A brief description of the residual conversion facility, including affirmation that materials are sorted prior to conversion to recover recyclables and compostable materials:
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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Jan. 1, 2016 Dec. 31, 2016
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2008 Dec. 31, 2008

If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:

A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):
Date of earliest accurate available data.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 4,455 4,300
Number of employees resident on-site 13 12
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 9,677 7,931
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 2,334 1,951
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 1,085 18
Weighted campus users 9,311.50 8,476

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.23 Metric tons 0.34 Metric tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
32.35

Part 3: Waste Diversion

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
29.62

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
29.62

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 No
White goods (i.e. appliances) 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:
Besides the materials that already have been mentioned, Villanova University also recycles all of its E-Waste, Universal waste and different types of automotive waste.

Optional Fields 

Active Recovery and Reuse

Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year (e.g. materials that are actively diverted from the landfill or incinerator and refurbished/repurposed) :
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Recycling Management 

Does the institution use single stream recycling (a single container for commingled recyclables) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
Yes

Does the institution use dual stream (two separate containers for recyclables, e.g. one for paper and another for plastic, glass, and metals) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
No

Does the institution use multi-stream recycling (multiple containers that further separate different types of materials) to collect standard recyclables (i.e. paper, plastic, glass, metals) in common areas?:
No

Contamination and Discard Rates 

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program (percentage, 0-100):
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A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed, e.g. efforts to minimize contamination and/or monitor the discard rates of the materials recovery facilities and mills to which materials are diverted:
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Programs and Initiatives 

A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives, e.g. initiatives to shift individual attitudes and practices such as signage and competitions:
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A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
As part of a new recycling program for the academic buildings, a student conducted a waste audit of the effected and none effected buildings to see if the program had improved recycling rates and reduced contamination. the student used the waste audit for her senior thesis.

A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
At this time Villanova does not have a formal policy in place to prevent waste. We have on occasion included waste reduction language in larger request for proposals, such as furniture.

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Facilities collects unwanted furniture and reuses it across campus or donates the item to local charities.

A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse (e.g. of electronics, furnishings, books and other goods):
Twice a year we host a clothing exchange for campus members. Anyone can come by and drop off unwanted clothing and exchange it for a new item. All unclaimed items are donated to a local charity.

A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption (e.g. restricting free printing and/or mandating doubled-sided printing in libraries and computer labs):
Students are given a printing dollar limit, they are able to increase that limit if the student pays for the added pages.

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials (e.g. course catalogs, course schedules, and directories) available online by default rather than printing them:
An online version of the course catalog and campus directory is available to students faculty and staff. Faculty are encouraged to use blackboard for class material dissemination.

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
For move out, signs are posted in each resident hall and discussed at the final RA meeting before move out regarding how all waste and recycling is to be handled. Students will receive clear plastics trash bags where they put all of their mixed paper waste to be recycled. Bottles, cans and plastics are recycled in the same bins as usual. Donation boxes are placed in the lobbies of each resident hall where students can place all of their usable items that they are not taking home with them. The donated items are collected by the recycling crew, sorted by Villanova community volunteers, and then picked up by local charities. For move-in, the recycling team is ready to help break down boxes and recycling any unwanted packaging.

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
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The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.