Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 31.93
Liaison Irena Lambrou
Submission Date Nov. 3, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Whatcom Community College
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.90 / 8.00 Blanche Bybee
Science Lab Supervisor
Science
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 19.60 Tons 26.50 Tons
Materials composted 44 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 72.90 Tons 84.30 Tons
Total waste generated 136.50 Tons 110.80 Tons

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 July 1, 2012 June 30, 2013
Baseline Year July 1, 2008 June 30, 2009

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):
The waste generation baseline was voted on by the sustainability committee and was officially adopted as a result. This decision was made primarily due to the lack of data available prior to 2008.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 0 0
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 3,771 3,806
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 345 321
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 227 0
Weighted campus users 2,916.75 3,095.25

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.05 Tons 0.04 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
0

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
46.59

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
46.59

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 No
Scrap metal Yes
Pallets Yes
Tires Yes
Other (please specify below) No

A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
The packing peanuts that we receive are redistributed back to the manufacturer. Also, outdated and out of commission electronics as well as lamps are sent to total reclaim incorporated located in Seattle, Washington where they are responsibly recycled.

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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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?:
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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?:
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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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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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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:
At Whatcom Community College we perform an annual audit of waste during spring quarter where we sort and weigh days worth of garbage from the entire campus.

A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
N/A

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
N/A

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):
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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):
The institution has implemented an allowance for the amount of paper that they can print in a given quarter before they must begin to pay for it themselves. This has resulted in a steep decline in the amount of paper and ink being consumed by the college.

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:
Many of the college's documents are available to fill out online via PDF. Online textbooks are also available for a very wide range of courses. We also utilize Canvas in order to minimize paper use and allow many assignments to be completed online.

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
N/A

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
We often resell outdated computing equipment in order to reduce waste.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
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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.