Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
---|---|
Overall Score | 71.94 |
Liaison | Emily Vollmer |
Submission Date | Dec. 19, 2017 |
Executive Letter | Download |
Virginia Tech
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion
Status | Score | Responsible Party |
---|---|---|
4.00 / 8.00 |
Dennis
Cochrane Director, Office of Sustainability Division of Campus Planning, Infrastructure and Facilities |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Materials recycled | 1,488 Tons | 1,327 Tons |
Materials composted | 416 Tons | 0 Tons |
Materials donated or re-sold | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 3,867 Tons | 5,013 Tons |
Total waste generated | 5,771 Tons | 6,340 Tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
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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, 2005 | Dec. 31, 2005 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Number of students resident on-site | 9,433 | 8,978 |
Number of employees resident on-site | 2 | 0 |
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 33,223 | 26,253.18 |
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 7,678 | 6,674.50 |
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 1,010 | 258.97 |
Weighted campus users | 32,277 | 26,746.03 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.18 Tons | 0.24 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
24.57
Part 3: Waste Diversion
32.99
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
32.99
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 | No |
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:
(Used Oil, Filters, Batteries, Construction Materials)
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
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Recycling Management
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?:
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Contamination and Discard Rates
1
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:
Standard Design Single Stream Recycling Decals have been placed on all 8 cubic yard outdoor recycling containers, and on indoor collection containers. The Standard Design has been adopted by the four jurisdictional members of the Montgomery County Solid Waste Authority (MRSWA) which includes Virginia Tech, the towns of Blacksburg and Christiansburg, and Montgomery County. All recycling material is delivered to MRSWA where it is weighed and inspected for contamination by their staff. The recycling material is further transported to the Single Stream Recycling Transfer Station (Recycling & Disposal Solutions) in Roanoke, Virginia. This has resulted in a significant increase in our regional recycling rate reported to Virginia’s Department of Environmental Quality and a significant decrease in our rejection rate.
Programs and Initiatives
Standard Design Signage. The 18 students in the Office of Sustainability Intern Program have participated with a number of other student sustainability groups on campus to provide education and training through events and activities. During the 2016 fall semester we rolled out a new Tailgate Recycling Program which was well received and produced record recycling numbers.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Waste audit have been introduced in select Dining Services venues from time to time.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
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A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The Procurement Department oversees our Surplus Property Program Office Supply Swap Program.
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):
The Procurement Department has introduced an Office Supply Exchange Program.
See:https://hokieswap.vt.edu/
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):
Newman Library has a limited printing policy on their copying machines.
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:
University Directory and Course Catalogs & Schedules are online.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Cardboard recycling stations located at key offloading locations during student move in. The YMCA at Virginia Tech plans and implements our Ytoss? Program during student move-out which collects reusable items such as furniture, microwaves, fans and so forth for resale to incoming student in the following fall semester. The program has been in existence since 2007 and on average collects 10 tons of reusable material.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Students have recently established a clothing swap whereby items they no longer want can be swapped among themselves thus keeping clothing out of the waste containers.
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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.