| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 76.41 |
| Liaison | Krista Bailey |
| Submission Date | Dec. 12, 2023 |
Pennsylvania State University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.41 / 8.00 |
Ayodeji
Oluwalana Waste Reduction and Recycling Manager OP |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 18,836.92 Tons | 2,295 Tons |
| Materials composted | 3,131.43 Tons | 1,955 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 3,969.83 Tons | 77 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 6,332.21 Tons | 6,184 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 32,270.39 Tons | 10,511 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
Not in place at this time.
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | Jan. 1, 2022 | Dec. 31, 2022 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2005 | Dec. 31, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
2005 was adopted as the baseline year to be consistent with our previous STARS report. Waste data are collected and reported on a calendar year basis.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 13,621 | 13,795 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 46,683.20 | 39,043 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 16,385.76 | 14,183 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 9,789.40 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 43,364.92 | 43,368.25 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.74 Tons | 0.24 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 | Yes |
| 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:
The Office of the Physical Plant salvages motors, pumps, and electric gear that are either used for their parts or refurbished for reuse.
Asphalt is resold for recycling through Lion Surplus along with clothing, consumer electronics, and furniture.
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:
Consumer education and effective signage are two means used to reduce contamination. (See comments in section below regarding Penn State's efforts in these areas.)
The Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority, to which the majority of Penn State's recycling is sent, assesses the contamination rate of materials they process. In addition, the OMPEC composting facility on campus tracks contamination and discard rates for materials processed in that facility..
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
Penn State Sustainability staff and interns are present the "Recycling Roadshow" to units across campus to educate them about recycling practices and protocols at Penn State. A study of recycling signage was conducted to provide insight into what type of signage is most effective in promoting correct sorting by consumers. New signage is planned for 2023-24 academic year.
In athletics, the Presidents Box at Beaver Stadium took the lead in shifting behaviors by implementing waste reduction and recycling systems. This resulted in achieving zero waste during football games. This effort was led by student Eco Reps. News story https://www.psu.edu/news/campus-life/story/ecoreps-help-presidents-box-guests-achieve-zero-waste-during-football-games
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Periodic audits are conducted by the Office of Physical Plant (Custodial Services) in the dorms and other buildings (including academic and athletic). In 2018, a comprehensive waste audit was conducted by a third-party contractor that helped inform our Waste Stream Task Force in implementing next steps for reducing contamination and increasing participation in our reuse/recycling programs.
See https://wastestream.psu.edu/ for more information
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
"The following procurement policies and initiatives were developed to reduce waste:
eBuy and the System for Integrated Management, Budgeting, and Accounting (SIMBA), the University’s e-procurement system, reduces paper usage by electronically delivering purchasing orders and electronically processing invoices and payments, as well as electronically delivering budgetary and accounting documents.
Travel Services uses a paperless transaction process, including accepting electronic documents as official receipts for reconciliation and reimbursement.
Custodial services uses super concentrated cleaning products in automatic dispensers that reduces packaging and usage waste. Jumbo dispensers are used for paper towels and toilet tissue to reduce packaging and use.
For ceiling tiles and carpet, Penn State has worked with vendors to implement recycling of old product when replaced with new product.
Penn State's Purchasing Department has developed a Sustainable Purchasing Policy that provides guidelines, goals, and mechanisms for purchasing materials that offer sustainable options. See the final report of the waste stream task force (https://wastestream.psu.edu/) for more specific information.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Penn State's Furniture Re-use Program collects and redistributes furniture among Penn State University offices.
Lion Surplus operates a public sales store open to students, faculty, staff, and the general public. Lion Surplus disposes of University-owned equipment such as desks, chairs, filing cabinets, electronics, and scientific equipment through sales, bids, or auctions.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Penn State owns and operates Lion Surplus, a reuse/resale store. Faculty, staff, students and community members can purchase used items (i.e., electronics, furniture, vehicles, etc.) previously intended for disposal.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
As of fall, 2020, students no longer were provided with 75 pages of free pages of printed materials. All printing has an associated fee, as outlined on
This pay-as-you-go, cloud-based printing service, “Paw Prints,” enables students, faculty, staff, and visitors to print to the cloud from their laptops, desktops, phones, and tablets.
Rates begin at $0.08/page.
https://pawprints.psu.edu/
Moreover, Penn State Sustainability continues to work in partnership with ITS and Penn State Colleges to implement a printer reduction campaign whereby faculty and staff forgo individual printers for Multi-functional Printer Devices designed to reduce paper usage and overall printing.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
The Teaching and Learning with Technology office has been and continues to work with faculty to share best practices to help students manage the cost of printing course materials and help faculty identify print reduction opportunities. For example, instead of requiring students to print syllabi, faculty can give access to digital versions through University-supported services.
Course descriptions and semester schedules are available online on LionPath https://public.lionpath.psu.edu
Information on degree program is online for undergrads and graduate students (http://bulletins.psu.edu/undergrad/programs/) (http://bulletins.psu.edu/graduate/)
Classes are scheduled online using the student's LionPath page. http://launch.lionpath.psu.edu/
Additionally, the advising handbook for course sequencing can be found online and the student's degree audit and transcripts are online.
The Penn State directory is online and lists contact information for students, faculty, and staff. This can be found at: http://www.work.psu.edu/ldap/
Electronic documents and data entry systems have replaced many that formerly relied on paper, including Time and Attendance reporting (ESSIC), online General Stores catalog, online OPP Stores catalog, electronic pay checks, mobile application in OPP’s FAM to reduce printed work orders, electronic reporting, online data warehouses, etc.
Penn State transitioned to an online tool for integrated management: SIMBA (System for Integrated Management, Budgeting, and Accounting). Staff and administrative employees can conduct transactions and other management practice virtually (significantly reducing the use of paper and printing).
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Collection bins are available in the lobbies of all residence halls. Students are encouraged to drop off gently used and unwanted clothing, small household, and decorative items. Unexpired food items may also be dropped off and will be distributed to local food pantries. Goodwill collects and transports donations to its main sorting site after students move out, and then items are distributed to Goodwill locations across a 15-county region to be sold.
https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/moving
Penn State's Trash to Treasure event (T2T) used to collect donated goods and sell them in a one-day sale. The program raised approximately $50,000 for the Centre County United Way and saves more than 60 tons of usable goods from going to a landfill. Beginning the week before finals, collection bins are placed in residence halls. Penn State staff and United Way volunteers sort the goods and man the sale held at Beaver Stadium in early June each year. https://liveon.psu.edu/university-park/moving
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
Recycling sorting stations are conveniently located in all buildings on campus. A wide variety of materials is accepted, including: mixed paper & newspaper; glass; metal; plastic bottles, jugs, and jars; and compostables (including food waste). Penn State also operates a Surplus Store (Lion Surplus) through an in-person warehouse and online-shop where Penn State Faculty, Staff, Students and community members can purchase used goods recovered and repurposed (intended for disposal).
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:
Penn State's recycling program is continually evolving in response to customer feedback, waste audits, assessment of what works and what doesn't, requirements and practices of the county Solid Waste Authority, and market forces.
The RECYCLING, COMPOSTING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT website provides information about all programs available on campus.
https://www.opp.psu.edu/sustainability/recycling-composting-and-waste-management
Consult Penn State's Waste Stream Task Force website for further information: https://wastestream.psu.edu/
Penn State's recycling program is continually evolving in response to customer feedback, waste audits, assessment of what works and what doesn't, requirements and practices of the county Solid Waste Authority, and market forces.
The RECYCLING, COMPOSTING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT website provides information about all programs available on campus.
https://www.opp.psu.edu/sustainability/recycling-composting-and-waste-management
Consult Penn State's Waste Stream Task Force website for further information: https://wastestream.psu.edu/
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.