| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.11 |
| Liaison | Elizabeth Malcolm |
| Submission Date | Jan. 19, 2023 |
Virginia Wesleyan University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.46 / 8.00 |
Elizabeth
Malcolm Director of Sustainability Earth and Environmental Sciences |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 62.10 Tons | 62.10 Tons |
| Materials composted | 0.13 Tons | 0.13 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 | 174.70 Tons | 174.70 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 236.93 Tons | 236.93 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | Jan. 1, 2020 | June 30, 2022 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2022 | June 30, 2022 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
Measurements occurred primarily during the Campus Waste to Zero Waste over the last three years. We opted to not include a baseline year because we felt that we did not have enough data for a reliable baseline. In Spring 2021 disposable product use increased due to the pandemic, so this year was not "typical" and would not serve as an adequate baseline. Therefore, instead of doing a baseline to performance year comparison, we opted to combine our pre-COVID (spring 2020) and spring semester 2022 data and report this as the "Performance Year", which can be used as a baseline for future STARS reports.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 861 | 861 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 2 | 2 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 1,348 | 1,348 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 231 | 231 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 276 | 276 |
| Weighted campus users | 1,193 | 1,193 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.20 Tons | 0.20 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 | No |
| Plant materials | No |
| Animal bedding | No |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | No |
| Electronics | Yes |
| Laboratory equipment | No |
| Furniture | No |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | No |
| Scrap metal | No |
| Pallets | No |
| Tires | No |
| Other (please specify below) | No |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Please note that only a small amount of food waste from the cafeteria is currently composted, which is why our annual composting tons are low.
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:
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
For the last three years, VWU has participated in the Campus Race to Zero Waste. As part of this effort, students have presented waste information sessions in residence halls and held outreach events on campus. We also conducted one dorm hall recycling/waste competition.
Recycling information on our TREX soft plastic, electronics, personal care product, and marker recycling programs are sent to the campus community through email from the Office of Wesleyan Engaged.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
In addition to estimating campus waste and recycling and reporting it as part of the Race to Zero Waste competition, a team of students assessed the availability of recycling containers in the dormitories and made recommendations to the Director of Facilities Management.
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:
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
In the last two years Academic Affairs has encouraged faculty to post as many materials on Blackboard as possible to reduce printing. Deans have also shared department printing costs with chairs in discussions on reducing academic printing.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
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.