Wentworth Institute of Technology
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Debra
Shepard Sustainability Consultant N/A |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 50.47 Tons | 75.90 Tons |
| Materials composted | 64.90 Tons | 79.08 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 2.10 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 424.61 Tons | 432.39 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 542.08 Tons | 587.37 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 Period | Jan. 1, 2023 | Dec. 31, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2015 | Dec. 31, 2015 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
Calendar Year 2015 was selected as the base year because a new reporting program was developed by the waste contractor, including MSW, recycling, compost, and C&D waste (C&D is excluded here per STARS technical guidance).
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 2,028 | 1,958 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 5 | 5 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 3,724.50 | 4,236.50 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 664 | 641.50 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 160 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 3,679.63 | 4,149.25 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.15 Tons | 0.14 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0
Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator
21.67
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
21.67
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 | No |
| Laboratory equipment | No |
| Furniture | No |
| Residence hall move-in/move-out waste | Yes |
| 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:
The university also diverts waste from cooking oil, landscape plant materials, white goods, electronics, furniture, mattresses and many other items. Data on total volumes were not available for the current reporting cycle.
Wentworth also diverts construction waste from new construction and renovation projects. These materials are captured in the C&D waste numbers which are not reported under the scope of OP-19.
Wentworth also diverts construction waste from new construction and renovation projects. These materials are captured in the C&D waste numbers which are not reported under the scope of OP-19.
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
0
Tons
Recycling Management
Yes
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Contamination and Discard Rates
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A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
Wentworth has a unique and long-standing partnership with Boston Public Schools through its STRIVE (Supported Training to Reach Independence through Vocational Experiences) program. BPS students with disabilities are given training, paid positions, and career mentorship while offering recycling support services to Wentworth. The STRIVE team collects, sorts, and prepares recyclable materials at the on-campus recycling center to be hauled to off-site facilities for further processing. STRIVE tracks the amounts, types, and weights of recyclables from the campus.
Programs and Initiatives
Signage is located across campus near receptacles. We have re-designed signage to simplify the process, and new signs are being rolled out across different areas in a phased approach. Sustainability co-op students lead outreach campaigns including recycling do's and don'ts included in new student orientation, community advisor training, tabling during lunch in the cafeteria, and America Recycles Day pledge campaigns.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Please see the description above for the STRIVE program. In addition, Wentworth periodically hosts "Garbology" waste audits using student teams to sift through campus trash and recycling streams from individual buildings and determine how much could have been recycled versus actual recycling volumes, as well as assessing contamination of the recycling stream. A Recycling Working Group (including Physical Plant, BPS Strive, and the waste contractor) meets quarterly to assess recycling trends, discuss any issues, and implement plans to improve signage, logistics, and educational outreach.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
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A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
There is no formal surplus department. However, the Planning & Construction department works to relocate furniture and other items in good condition on campus if possible. If on-campus re-use is not an option, Planning & Construction donates materials through local non-profits that provide refurbished or recycled furniture to area schools and community organizations.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
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A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Wentworth has a print quota system, and utilizes "Papercut" software to help community members track their print usage, account balance, and environmental impacts.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Wentworth's course catalog, academic calendar, and directory are all available on the www.wit.edu website. Students can also utilize these and many other resources through the Wentworth mobile app (myWentworth).
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
A streamlined procedure for move-in / move-out allows students and their families to reduce idling from over an hour to less than five minutes by eliminating multiple stops in the check-in process, and offering wheeled carts to transport belongings on foot from a central campus parking lot. During move-in, students are also provided with blue bags printed with the campus recycling guidelines, that they can use throughout the year to store and transport their recyclables from their rooms to centralized collection areas.
Wentworth runs a "Trash-2-Treasure" green move-out program where students can donate gently used clothing and household items to Goodwill during move-out.
Wentworth runs a "Trash-2-Treasure" green move-out program where students can donate gently used clothing and household items to Goodwill during move-out.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
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Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts is available:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Additional information on Wentworth's partnership with Boston Public Schools STRIVE program can be found here: http://wentworthtrainingprogram.org/
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.