Overall Rating Bronze
Overall Score 40.37
Liaison Raafat Kabbara
Submission Date Nov. 15, 2022

STARS v2.2

Higher Colleges of Technology
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 4.85 / 8.00 Raafat Kabbara
Assistant Manager - Facilities Management
General Services
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 13.42 Metric tons 40.52 Metric tons
Materials composted 0 Metric tons 0 Metric tons
Materials donated or re-sold 80.43 Metric tons 946.18 Metric tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Metric tons 0 Metric tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 1,801.48 Metric tons 4,672.55 Metric tons
Total waste generated 1,895.32 Metric tons 5,659.24 Metric tons

If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:

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, 2020 June 30, 2021
Baseline Period July 1, 2019 June 30, 2020

If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:

A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
The waste Generation Baseline was adopted starting from Q3 2019 till Q2 2020 considering that this period was prior to the COVID-19 pandemic when the campus operation was at the normal state (fully operational on campus). Since then, waste minimization and management programs have been initiated as part of the HCT's KPIs and procedures to maintain and achieve Environmental management system accreditation, as part of the environmental sustainability policy.

Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 0 0
Number of employees resident on-site 0 0
Number of other individuals resident on-site 0 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 24,766 20,990
Full-time equivalent of employees 2,105 2,112
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 20,153.25 17,326.50

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.09 Metric tons 0.33 Metric tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
71.21

Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
4.95

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
4.95

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 No
Animal bedding No
White goods (i.e. appliances) Yes
Electronics Yes
Laboratory equipment Yes
Furniture Yes
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:
HCT have contracted with government and private bodies to recycle, donate or re-sell material. Materials include, but not limited to, the below:
1- Paper
2- Plastic bottles
3- Furniture (chairs, tables, Cupboards, etc.)
4- Electronic devices (laptops, A/V systems, keyboards, Cameras, etc.)
5- Lab equipment (X-ray Machine, Osilloscope, Multimeter, Frame stand, Beem apparatus , 3D printer etc..
6- Medical material (Medical Beds, Body manikin, ECG monitor etc.)
7- Facilities (A/C units, lights, fencing, Aluminium ceiling, Fire Extinguishers)
8- Vehicles (Mercedes Mini bus, Isuzu Truck,Chevy car 2 and Golf cart 1, BMW cars 2 and Saloon Cars 2, Nissan Pickup, etc.)

Optional Fields 

Active Recovery and Reuse

Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year:
0 Metric tons

Recycling Management 

Does the institution use single stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No

Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Yes

Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No

Contamination and Discard Rates 

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
0

A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
---

Programs and Initiatives 

A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
Initiatives related to waste management:
1- Segregated waste bins are distributed around the campuses
2- Waste management procedure is developed and implemented
3- Waste management programs are measured as part of HCT's KPIs
4- Waste management awareness and training are included in the orientation and other sustainability courses that are open to all students and staff every year.

A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Internally:
1- On a quarter basis EHS team is submitting reports of the different types of waste quantities collected to measure the achievement of the KPIs.
2- EHS internal audit is conducted on a yearly basis and it includes waste management elements.
Externally:
1- Annually EHS external audits (ISO 45001: 2018Occupational health and safety management system & ISO 14001: 2015 Environmental management system) are conducted to maintain the certifications.

A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
Procurement ensures that the waste management section is included as a part of the contract for any project in HCT.
Also, part of the technical evaluation of the vendor's EHS criteria is included as part of the assessment.

A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
---

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:
HCT’s Education Technology department designed its Paperless HCT initiative in alignment with UAE’s Green Economy initiative under the slogan: A green economy for sustainable development and Smart Dubai 2021 vision. Our aim is to eliminate the use of paper from all internal operations and customer facing services. We identified two types of paper in our organization, one which is used in processes and services, and another one which is paper printed selectively that is not process related but printed and used due to current habits and culture. We eliminated the first one almost 90% through digital alternatives. By adopting Managed Print Services with Print rooms, Quota set up and Multifunction Printers that are connected with Document Management System, we could achieve a considerable reduction in second type also.

The projects that were deployed under the Paperless HCT initiative are:
* Embark on Managed Printing Service model with print rooms & quota setting
* Implement an efficient and integrated Document Management System utilizing features such as OCR, annotations, stamps, content search, archiving, etc
* Issue Digital Credentials to students that are secure, verifiable, and shareable
* Establish a vendor management and e-tendering system
* Re-engineer and Automate/Digitalize key business processes
* Create e-forms and e-workflows
* Automate letters for students and employees with e-signatures
* Make available a best-in-class and user-friendly content management system
* Implement and Adopt an Electronic Signature solution
* Implement an Online Payment Solution
* Make all services electronic and smart
* Launch a native mobile app for students to access information and services
* Upgrade the service desk to include more services and enhanced features
* Implement e-textbooks for all courses
* Establish a robust platform for online assessments
* Implement a 100% virtual library on all campuses starting with the purchase of prints being stopped and then the discarding of existing prints.

Please refer to page 23 on the following link:

chrome-extension://efaidnbmnnnibpcajpcglclefindmkaj/https://hct.ac.ae/wp-content/uploads/2021/04/SuccessStory_HCT_Digicampus_7Apr.pdf

A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Initiatives to reduce printing:
1- Every employee is assigned cridit hours each semester
- A4 Black and White printing takes 1 cridit
- A4 Color printing TAKES 4 cridits
- A3 Black and White printing takes 2 cridit
- A4 Color printing TAKES 8 cridits
2- Some forms in the management system are now automated such as:
- Wellness (clinic reporting system)
- Infection disease reporting system
- EHS operation forms (EHS inspections, caterers inspeciton, contractors performance, quarter reports, etc.)

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
---

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials 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:
---

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.