Valparaiso University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
Reporter |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 0.10 Tons | 0.10 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 | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 0.10 Tons | 0.10 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 | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2022 |
| Baseline Period | June 30, 2017 | July 30, 2018 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
We don't get weights for most of our trash/recycle dumpsters so we only have sample data, not a full picture of campus.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,446 | 2,063 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 5 | 5 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 2,977.86 | 3,976.44 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 654 | 924 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 45.16 | 11.92 |
| Weighted campus users | 3,052.78 | 4,183.39 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.00 Tons | 0.00 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 | No |
| 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 | No |
| Tires | Yes |
| Other (please specify below) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
At the end of the year, we collect donations from all of our residence halls. We also have a clothing swap event during the year where we collect clothing around campus and then have an event where students and staff can take it for free.
Plastic film is also collected for recycling in all campus buildings.
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:
New signage was placed on all campus trash and recycling containers in Spring 2023. Building Services technicians will throw away any bags of recycling that have a large amount of visible contamination Our MRF's (Diversified Recycling) contamination rate is about 30% so we are at around the same rate as them. They remove any non-recyclable items from the recycling stream.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
We completed a comprehensive waste audit in Summer 2022. The results of this included:
-Adding new signage on all campus waste receptacles.
-Adding recycling containers in outdoor spaces.
-Working to reduce move-out and move-in waste.
-Promoting gameday and tailgating recycling.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Completed a comprehensive waste audit during spring 2022, which included sorting waste and recycling from varoius campus buildings.
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:
There are a few free book exchange shelves in campus buildings for anyone to drop off or take books.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Each student is provided with a balance at the start of the semester and charged per page printed. Color is more expensive than black and white.
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:
During student move out we have donation bins dropped off in all resident hall lobbies for goodwill. In 2023 we also collected some electronics(TV's) and scrap metal from dumpsters and recycled them.
We have not previously had a move-in waste reduction program, this year we are hoping to pilot a program that will collect cardboard and plastic film from students.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
We have a furniture surplus area where we store extra furniture and appliances until they are needed again.
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:
Tonnages are estimates, we only have weights from one trash and one recycle compactor. We have about 10-15 8yd dumpsters on campus but these are not weighed, so we are using volume-to-weight estimates. However, these are likely over estimates because most of the time the containers are not completely full when emptied.
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.