| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 58.64 |
| Liaison | Casey Meehan |
| Submission Date | Dec. 22, 2020 |
Western Technical College
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.15 / 8.00 |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 58 Tons | 31.09 Tons |
| Materials composted | 0 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 | 152.58 Tons | 143.56 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 210.58 Tons | 174.65 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, 2019 | Dec. 31, 2019 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2009 | Dec. 31, 2009 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
With the addition of the sustainability department in 2009, record keeping of waste generation was implemented. Western also began participating in the nationwide RecycleMania competition in 2009.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 200 | 97 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 1 | 4 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 3,162.38 | 4,134 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 600 | 554 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 393.50 | 202 |
| Weighted campus users | 2,576.91 | 3,389.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.08 Tons | 0.05 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 | Yes |
| Plant materials | Yes |
| Animal bedding | No |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | Yes |
| Electronics | 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:
Western also recycles batteries and cigarette butts.
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:
Western Technical College has an ongoing Recycling/Waste education initiative as with each school year we have new students and staff to educate.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
Western has a “Waste Minimization Team” which meets once a month and addresses many waste and recycling issues within the college.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Western's main kitchen weighs our amount of food waste dehydrated for biomass, the amount of food donated to Salvation Army, and the amount of pre-consumer food waste that's produced on campus daily. This information is reported weekly. Western also has a “Waste Minimization Team” which meets once a month and addresses many waste and recycling issues within the college.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
Western combines shipments whenever possible, saving costs and creating less packaging.
The Food Service areas only buy for the short term, keeping production waste to a minimum.
All new construction and renovation must meet LEED Silver certification. In doing so, Western prevents waste throughout the construction or renovation of all buildings.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
When furniture is replaced, Western always reviews the quality of the older furniture and utilizes the furniture in other buildings/departments.
Western has an intranet called “Swap Shop” that staff can post office supplies that they no longer need or have excess of and other staff can ask for these supplies.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Western has an intranet called “Swap Shop” that staff can post office supplies that they no longer need or have excess of and other staff can ask for these supplies.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Western institutes a printing fee. We provide $3 per new student for printing expenses, but after that, students pay for any additional pages they need printed. We duplex all paper, single sided is .03 and double is .025 per side. Color is .50. Once we instituted this, our volume for printing decreased about 70%.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Western is paperless in many operations. E-billing and E-refunding are in effect, and most other print materials are available online.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Western has a dumpster diversion program during move-in and move-out. During move-in season, this looks like clearly marking recycling availability with signage and reminders to students to recycle first, and clear directions on what items are recyclable. During move-out, we have a donation program where students can leave behind gently used household goods, clothes, etc. that we in turn donate to students in need the next year, or distribute to community partners such as Habitat for Humanity Restore and the Salvation Army.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Most printers on campus are setup to print on both sides of the paper. Western also encourages communication through e-mail to eliminate printing on paper.
Computer Services refurbishes computers and offers them to students, staff and the public at a reduced rate to provide good quality computers at reasonable prices. Computer Services makes about 135K per year which is used to offset new costs, and anything that we do not sell is recycled either locally or with an out of state firm so as not to have anything end up in a landfill.
Western participates in the Terracycle cigarette recycling program. https://www.terracycle.com/en-US/brigades/cigarette-waste-recycling
Each year Western has an E-Waste collection which is coordinated by students and staff.
Western has a Food Dehydrator that is used in the food service area.
Western recycles Batteries.
Western donates food to local non-profit organizations.
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.