| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.13 |
| Liaison | Olivia Wiebe |
| Submission Date | Dec. 28, 2023 |
University of Idaho
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.61 / 8.00 |
Josh
Manni Recycling Foreperson Facilities |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 61.16 Tons | 243.18 Tons |
| Materials composted | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 36.13 Tons | 140 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 936.94 Tons | 1,100 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 1,034.23 Tons | 1,483.18 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | June 1, 2022 | July 1, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | Jan. 1, 2005 | Dec. 31, 2005 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
The performance period is fiscal year 2023, but the campus recycling program did not start until April 2023, so we can only report three months of data (April, May, and June 2023).
We have chosen to use the baseline year of 2005 because that is one year before sustainability had a presence on our campus; using the data from 2005 gives us a good picture of how far we have progressed in our efforts to reduce waste.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 3,925 | 2,000 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 16 | 8 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 9,175 | 10,415 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 2,313 | 2,254 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 635.48 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 9,124.64 | 10,003.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.11 Tons | 0.15 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 | No |
| 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 | No |
| Other (please specify below) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Other materials the institution has recycled and/or re-sold include, but are not limited to: office furniture, vehicles, farm equipment, shop equipment, electronics, fluorescent tubes, mercury tubes, sodium vapor bulbs, and compact tubes.
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:
The Office of Sustainability in collaboration with campus facilities reinstated a campus recycling program, which started in April 2023. Quality control of recycling on campus involves educating staff and students on proper recycling practices with resources such as an informational website, online trainings, and educational signage. Facilities staff also remove any contaminated materials prior to deposition into the collection truck to reduce contaminated materials being transported to the material recovery facility.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
In 2023, the Student Sustainability Cooperative hosted a month of programing to bring awareness to sustainability challenges and empowering solutions on campus. The first week's theme was "Waste", with two large engagement events and an educational campaign that covered recycling, composting, and waste reduction strategies applicable to campus.
The first event was the SSC Recycling Fair, which was held in the Idaho Student Union Building (ISUB), decorated with entirely recycling materials and hosted seven themed tables that detailed the various methods of recycling, including Rethink, Repair, Reuse, and Recycle. The fair featured special topic tables hosted by the Associated Students of UI student government and the Apparel and Textile Design (ATD) club. The SSC employed a student Recycling Lead who ran a recycling sorting game where participants were entered into a drawing for a countertop composter.
The second event was a large clothing swap in partnership with the ATD club, held in the Student Lounge of the ISUB. Participants were encouraged to bring clothing to swap and clothing that needed mending. 53 participants reclaimed over 150 items of clothing, with the remaining 100 items brought to Earth Jam for screen-printing.
The Office of Sustainability also hosted on-demand recycling presentations to employee and student groups. Over 50 presentations were conducted in the academic semester leading up to the single-stream program launch.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Internal Audit Services provides independent and objective auditing and consultation services designed to add value and improve the university’s operations, and to help the university accomplish its objectives by evaluating the effectiveness of risk management, internal control, and governance processes. Internal Audit conducts investigations of potential violations of the university’s ethics policy, which includes fraud, waste, and abuse.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
UI Purchasing Services works with vendors to purchase items that utilize recyclable packaging and low-waste options. This is beneficial not only for the environment but makes maintenance and cleaning of UI facilities more cost effective."
The Office of Sustainability offers a "Green Office" certification program that includes sustainable office supply purchasing as a requirement for higher levels of certification.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The University Surplus operation manages the auction and sale of university assets that are no longer in active use, as part of the Recycling Surplus and Solid Waste Division.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Items for surplus can be previewed by UI departments and other agencies two weeks prior to a Public Auction. In addition, pre-priced items are sold in an on-campus store which is open to all.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
Students are allowed to print 250 pages each semester ($12.50 each semester). Each black & white page is $0.05 and is worth 1 page deducted from the quota of 250. Color pages cost $1.00 and are worth 20 pages deducted from the quota. Double sided printing is the default in most computer labs (a double-sided printed page is weighted as a single printed page)
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Course catalogs, course schedules and directories are all available, by default, online. A limited number of printed course catalogs are provided to college advisers.
Professors are encouraged to provide their course schedule, syllabus, and homework online through Canvas, a virtual learning environment and course management system, or through a course website.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
In 2023, the Student Sustainability Cooperative partnered with the local Habitat for Humanity chapter to offer donation pick-up services for students moving out of residence halls or the Greek community. Personal furniture items that may be abandoned or thrown in campus dumpsters were recovered and donated to Habitat for Humanity, and students were encouraged to bring unwanted clothing to the clothing swap held in April.
The Vandal Food pantry had donation bins accessible to the public to recover usable food items during move-out.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
The Student Sustainability Coordinator employs a student with the title of Recycling Lead (RL) who plans and implements 3-5 events or programs a semester that focus on reuse, reducing waste, and proper recycling techniques. Examples of these programs include:
1.) Refill/Reclaim" The RL collects reusable water bottles from around campus, including overstocked promotional items and lost-and-found items that are slated for the landfill, washes the bottles, and places them in the Vandal Food Pantry. This allowed the Vandal Food Pantry to stop stocking single-use plastic water bottles and rescued over 200 usable water bottles from the landfills. Refill/Reclaim provides free water bottles to keep permanently, or to borrow and return. Donations are accepted in the office of the Sustainability Coordinator.
2.) Trex Recycling: The RL coordinated with campus Building Managers to install 3 plastic film collection points that are sent off to TREX to become decking. Nearly 45 pounds of plastic has been recovered through 3 bins across campus.
3.) Mending workshops: In coordination with ATD faculty and students, participants were invited to bring any items in need of mending to the workshops, where they learned various techniques for repair and were provided with basic mending kits. Participants were also given a presentation about textile waste and sustainable fashion.
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:
After years of being on pause due to the pandemic and other complications, the Office of Sustainability successfully reinstated the campus recycling program in April 2023.
We currently do not have data for the tonnage of items donated and/or resold through our campus surplus program. We are working with our partners in facilities to improve our data collecting methods for donated and/or resold items, as well as for all other forms of waste.
Our dining services provider, Idaho Eats, occasionally donates leftover, non-perishable food items to the Vandal Food Pantry, an on-campus food pantry that is free and available to our campus community.
Josh Manni, Surplus and Solid Waste Foreperson; Facilities
Programs and Initiatives: Olivia Wiebe, Sustainability Manager, Office of Sustainability
After years of being on pause due to the pandemic and other complications, the Office of Sustainability successfully reinstated the campus recycling program in April 2023.
We currently do not have data for the tonnage of items donated and/or resold through our campus surplus program. We are working with our partners in facilities to improve our data collecting methods for donated and/or resold items, as well as for all other forms of waste.
Our dining services provider, Idaho Eats, occasionally donates leftover, non-perishable food items to the Vandal Food Pantry, an on-campus food pantry that is free and available to our campus community.
Josh Manni, Surplus and Solid Waste Foreperson; Facilities
Programs and Initiatives: Olivia Wiebe, Sustainability Manager, Office of Sustainability
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.