| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.20 |
| Liaison | Susan Kidd |
| Submission Date | June 21, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
Agnes Scott College
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.32 / 8.00 |
Elizabeth
Rowe Sustainability Fellow Center for Sustainability |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 54.48 Tons | 32.30 Tons |
| Materials composted | 82.16 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 | 202.25 Tons | 139.20 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 338.89 Tons | 171.50 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility, including affirmation that materials are sorted prior to conversion to recover recyclables and compostable materials:
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2015 | June 30, 2016 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2007 | June 30, 2008 |
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):
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 760 | 726 |
| 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 | 917 | 880.77 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 336 | 314.60 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 1,129.75 | 1,078.03 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.30 Tons | 0.16 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 |
| Laboratory equipment | Yes |
| 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:
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) :
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?:
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?:
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?:
Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program (percentage, 0-100):
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:
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:
On campus, we practice single-stream recycling. We have indoor recycling bins in every building, outdoor recycling across campus, and individual recycling bins in every residence hall room. We also utilize consistent messaging and are upgrading our bins to be uniform after a building is renovated.
Agnes Scott participates annually in Recyclemania. In 2017, Agnes Scott placed first nationally in Recyclemania’s inaugural “Waste to Zero Waste” competition. This success was a true community effort, involving our library staff and all the users. The true secret to success was the library’s custodian who we recognized at a campus event as our “Recyclemania Champion.”
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
In 2018, we completed a waste audit with Rubbermaid as part of their partnership with Recyclemania. This was our second time participating with Rubbermaid. Unlike other waste audits we host, this event is great for drawing attention to waste diversion on campus. We hold these audits during lunch when we have the greatest amount of foot traffic passing by.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
Purchasers are encouraged to order in bulk to save on the environmental impacts of shipping and packing, however, purchasers must be certain that all materials purchased in bulk will be put to use and not wasted.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The Agnes Scott Green Team formed a virtual office swap in 2016 to reduce the purchasing of office supplies. Community members can opt into the group and are notified whenever someone posts an item for donation.
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):
The Agnes Scott Green Team is committed to reducing the quantity of office supplies purchased by the college. They established a Virtual Office Swap site to reduce the amount of items purchased. This information is included in our procurement policy, and also on the Office of Accounting's website.
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):
In 2018, the college installed campus wide networked multi-function devices for printing, photocopying and scanning. All community members now have printing quotas, and all desktop printers were removed from service.
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:
Agnes Scott College does not print course catalogs and schedules, directories, human resources policies, or events calendars. All of this information can now be found online.
The academic course catalog and campus calendar are available for everyone to see on the Agnes Scott College website http://www.agnesscott.edu/academics/catalog and http://calendar.agnesscott.edu/.
Internally the following information is available to students, faculty, and staff online:
•Course schedules, class registration, and grade reports.
•Course evaluations
•Online contact directory
•Human resources forms and policies
•Other departmental policies or reports are available through the intranet
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
In the spring of 2013, the Office of Residence Life, the Center for Sustainability and the International Relations department partnered to create a move-out donation program called Give + Go. Students donate unwanted household items, linens, and clothes, which are then collected by faculty and staff during our campus community day. Once collected and sorted, they are picked by the International Rescue Committee, which works with refugees in the Atlanta area. These donations directly benefit local refugees.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives 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.