University of Wisconsin-Platteville
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
3.52 / 8.00 |
Alan
Burr Sustainability Coordinator Facilities |
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 365 Tons | 392.68 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 | 422 Tons | 604.99 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 787 Tons | 997.67 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 | July 1, 2010 | June 30, 2011 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
FY 2011 is the first year that we have our recycling weight available for campus. Typically our waste hauler hasn't recorded recycling weights so we use sampling during recyclemania to develop our recycling weights.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 2,786 | 2,810 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 7 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 8 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 5,872 | 7,093 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 840 | 1,077 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 346 | 115.90 |
| Weighted campus users | 5,480.75 | 6,743.08 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.14 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 | Yes |
| Plant materials | No |
| Animal bedding | No |
| White goods (i.e. appliances) | No |
| 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) | No |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
The University utilizes the City of Platteville's single stream recycling collection and trash removal service. The University also utilizes a vendor to recycle used fryer oil and pre-consumer compost from its two largest dining facilities, unfortunately the contracts are paid per removal load and no volumes are available. The University went without a Sustainability staff for 9 months and although most of the recycling activities continued records were not kept. The University also operates a restore in which used university furniture and equipment and furniture is sold via a public auction website, unfortunately the weight of these sales have not been recorded. The University also operates a free store in which unwanted items from students and items that are not suitable for the restore are available to students for free. The University also operates a Pioneer Provisions for students which is stocked through the local food Pantry the total weight of this food unfortunately is not recorded.
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 single stream recycling on campus and they have not been reporting any contamination.
A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
The University has participated in Recyclemania every year from 2010 until 2020 and plan to rejoin the activity next year. We also promote waste management through Pioneer Restore, our waste diversion facility.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
We do occasional waste audits during special programs.
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:
We started an official campus surplus program (Pioneer Restore) in 2014. Staff may now shop for affordable office supplies and materials that other departments no longer needed, at our storefront, open weekly. campus.uwplatt.edu/go/restore
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
In the past six years, campus has transitioned to using the following web-based programs rather than print resources:
- The Pioneer Administrative Software System (PASS) is used for course registration, payment, financial aid, administrative functions, and more.
- The Canvas course management system is used to deliver learning resources to students, including syllabi, course content and other documents, and multimedia content. Students also use Canvas to submit assignments, take tests and quizzes, and collaborate with instructors and classmates.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
In spring of 2014, we instituted a "ditch the dumpster" program on campus where we collected 1) small household items and diverted them to Goodwill, 2) large furniture and electronics and diverted them to our campus surplus program, and 3) unwanted food and diverted it to the Pioneer Provisions the University's student food pantry.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
We recycle all electronics through URT, ink and toner through Pioneer Restore, Universal Waste and hazardous waste through Violia, and recycle metal.
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:
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.