| Overall Rating | Silver - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 46.90 |
| Liaison | Hannes Gerhardt |
| Submission Date | March 30, 2018 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of West Georgia
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.17 / 8.00 |
Hannes
Gerhardt Sustainability Director Department of Geosciences |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 131.85 Tons | 8.75 Tons |
| Materials composted | 85 Tons | 55 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 145 Tons | 100 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 36 Tons | 10 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 1,854.16 Tons | 2,017.36 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 2,252.01 Tons | 2,191.11 Tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility, including affirmation that materials are sorted prior to conversion to recover recyclables and compostable materials:
UWG uses a vendor to pick up and pay for kitchen grease, which they use to create biodiesel.
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | Jan. 1, 2017 | Dec. 30, 2017 |
| Baseline Year | Jan. 1, 2011 | Dec. 30, 2011 |
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 baseline was adopted because this is the earliest that we have relatively reliable waste data, and it is the year before the institution started its recycling program.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 3,232 | 2,826 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 17 | 5 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 1 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 11,877 | 10,575 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 1,635 | 1,222 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 1,675 | 560 |
| Weighted campus users | 9,691 | 9,135.50 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.23 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 | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| 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:
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:
RecycleMania is the main outreach campaign. There is also signage.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
We have a dumpster dive during RecycleMania, which offers insight into how many recyclables are thrown out and the Center for Sustainability conducts a visual audit of dumpster usage,
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
Per the Green Purchasing Guidelines:
Guideline : Bio-based plastic products that are biodegradable and compostable, such as
bags, food and beverage containers, and cutlery, should be acquired by the University
and /or used by our contractors whenever practicable.
Guideline : Suppliers of electronic equipment should have take-back equipment
programs for reuse or environmentally safe recycling. Suppliers of office materials
should provide recycling options for ink cartridges and toners.
Guideline : Products that are durable, long lasting, reusable or refillable are preferred
whenever feasible. All University offices should avoid buying one-use products, such as,
coffee cups, water bottles, plastic cutlery, and dishware, for daily use.
Guideline : Whenever practical, the availability of packaging that is reusable, recyclable
or compostable should be considered when choosing a supplier. Packaging should be
eliminated or minimized to the greatest extent practicable.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The surplus department outsources all equipment with memory chips to a certified e-recycling vendor. Other surplus items are resold in bulk, with a 75% resell average. Items that are not sold are stripped of their metal, which is recycled. What is left over is sent to landfill.
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):
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):
There are guidelines in place to default double-sided printing.
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:
Everything is available online, but print is still used to some extent.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Good Will is generally contacted so they can attain discarded furniture.
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:
This is one of the few credit where we go by calendar year. The demographic data is based on FY 2016-2017 numbers - the same as IC-3.
This is one of the few credit where we go by calendar year. The demographic data is based on FY 2016-2017 numbers - the same as IC-3.
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.