Overall Rating Gold - expired
Overall Score 76.21
Liaison Lindsey Kalkbrenner
Submission Date May 5, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.1

Santa Clara University
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 3.96 / 8.00 Chris Young
Assistant Director - Buildings & Grounds
Facilities
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Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization 

Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 573.85 Tons 255.82 Tons
Materials composted 603 Tons 0 Tons
Materials donated or re-sold 9.65 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion 0 Tons 0 Tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 649 Tons 1,343.53 Tons
Total waste generated 1,835.50 Tons 1,599.35 Tons

If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:

A brief description of the residual conversion facility, including affirmation that materials are sorted prior to conversion to recover recyclables and compostable materials:
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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date End Date
Performance Year Jan. 1, 2016 Dec. 31, 2016
Baseline Year Jan. 1, 2005 Dec. 31, 2005

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 (e.g. in sustainability plans and policies or in the context of other reporting obligations):
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of students resident on-site 3,093 2,156
Number of employees resident on-site 26 31.20
Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds 18 0
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment 8,702 6,991
Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) 1,613 1,326.80
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education 0 0
Weighted campus users 8,534 6,785.15

Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year Baseline Year
Total waste generated per weighted campus user 0.22 Tons 0.24 Tons

Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
8.75

Part 3: Waste Diversion

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
64.64

Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
64.64

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 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:
TerraCycle programs: energy bar wrappers, beauty/cosmetic products, paired shoes, Brita water filters and writing instruments.

Optional Fields 

Active Recovery and Reuse

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) :
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Recycling Management 

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?:
Yes

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?:
No

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?:
No

Contamination and Discard Rates 

Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program (percentage, 0-100):
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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:
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Programs and Initiatives 

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:
Throughout campus, many waste bins have signs to explain how to properly sort waste. In the dining hall, there are shadow boxes in place with example items to show users how to properly sort various items.

A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Three to six times a year, a waste characterization event is held to examine and measure the waste stream of various buildings around campus. Both residential and academic buildings are studied. By weighing each type of waste, we can determine the contamination rate, and compare the most commonly found items. These events show us where there are breakdowns in the waste stream, and we can create action plans to fix those issues. https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/events/characterizations/

A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
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A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
SCU also has a Share Shelf, a physical shelf where campus users can either drop off unwanted office supplies or pick up what they need. The Share Shelf allows donations freely, and anyone can stop by and take whatever supplies they need. It's an open community resource. https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/programs/shareshelf/

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):
The Center for Sustainability hosts the University's Lending Library program. A website that allows employees to post items they're willing to let others borrow, and anyone can contact them for use. https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/programs/

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):
Students are given an original allotment of $48.00 for printing, per year. Charges of $0.08/page are issued for single-sided printing, while double-sided printing is at a reduced cost of $0.06/page. Statistics show that 90% of students do not exceed this allotment. Faculty and students are highly encouraged to print double-sided for all materials, with the option available in all residence halls, SCU library, and many other campus buildings.

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:
SCU Course Evaluations moved from paper format to online in 2008. This includes surveys through email and responses collected online, rather than using paper surveys and spreadsheets. All course catalogs are available only online: www.scu.edu/courseavail

A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The Center for Sustainability, Facilities and the Housing Office coordinate with a local non-profit agency to provide donation opportunities for students in spring and during move out. There are also food donation programs, linen drives for local shelters, and collection areas to recycle electronic waste and carpets. https://www.scu.edu/sustainability/events/moveout/

A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
SCU hosts a Swap for Good event each Spring, which is a large clothing-swap program for students, staff, and faculty. All leftover items are donated to local non-profit community-serving organizations.

The website URL where information about the programs or initiatives is available:
Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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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.