| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 67.63 |
| Liaison | Konrad Schlarbaum |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
University of Colorado Colorado Springs
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
5.19 / 8.00 |
Travis
Pochipinski WastelessCOS Intern Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 127.46 Tons | 102.77 Tons |
| Materials composted | 96.80 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 | 156.07 Tons | 305.58 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 380.33 Tons | 408.35 Tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
---
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Period | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2023 |
| Baseline Period | July 1, 2009 | June 30, 2010 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
2009-2010 is the earliest dataset we have from our waste hauler.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,019 | 785 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 4 | 0 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 1 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 9,522 | 7,594 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 1,630 | 889 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 1,500.14 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 7,495.65 | 6,558.50 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.05 Tons | 0.06 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
18.51
Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator
58.96
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
58.96
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 |
| 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) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
For cooking oil, UCCS partners with Front Range Grease to recycle fryer oil from our dining operations.
UCCS stores functional furniture, appliances, and lab equipment in a warehouse for other departments and programs to reuse. If they are not picked up, UCCS sells or donates them.
UCCS works with local companies to recycle the metal for non-operational appliances and evacuate refrigerants.
UCCS works with Blue Star Recyclers to recycle electronic waste and E-tech recyclers for rechargeable and lithium batteries.
For residential move-out waste, UCCS partners with local non-profits such as The Arc, Goodwill, and Clyde's Cupboard to donate books, clothing, house goods, small appliances, non-perishable foods, etc.
For pallets, UCCS works with local companies to reuse them.
For tires and vehicle fluids, UCCS partners with tire repair shops to recycle them.
UCCS stores functional furniture, appliances, and lab equipment in a warehouse for other departments and programs to reuse. If they are not picked up, UCCS sells or donates them.
UCCS works with local companies to recycle the metal for non-operational appliances and evacuate refrigerants.
UCCS works with Blue Star Recyclers to recycle electronic waste and E-tech recyclers for rechargeable and lithium batteries.
For residential move-out waste, UCCS partners with local non-profits such as The Arc, Goodwill, and Clyde's Cupboard to donate books, clothing, house goods, small appliances, non-perishable foods, etc.
For pallets, UCCS works with local companies to reuse them.
For tires and vehicle fluids, UCCS partners with tire repair shops to recycle them.
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
---
Recycling Management
Yes
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Contamination and Discard Rates
---
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
UCCS uses consistent signage for recycling and composting receptacles across campus that are informed by industry best practices.
The Office of Sustainability created a standard training video for custodial staff.
The Office of Sustainability created a standard training video for custodial staff.
Programs and Initiatives
A Geography and Environmental Studies Climate Change class patterned with the Office of Sustainability and Clydes Closet during the Spring Semester 2023 to plan a Spring Swap that encouraged students to swap clothes, books, and other materials. This event encouraged students to consider swapping materials rather than buying new materials.
The Office of Sustainability plans a semesterly creek clean-up to pick up litter at a nearby creek at least two times per year. This event encourages students to responsibly dispose of their waste and serve the community.
The Office of Sustainability helps students divert waste from the landfill as they move in and out of the residence halls. These events encourage students to recycle cardboard and donate unwanted materials to local non-profit organizations.
The College of Public Service organizes an annual office supply swap at the beginning of the spring semester. This event encourages staff and faculty to swap unwanted office supplies.
The Office of Sustainability plans a semesterly creek clean-up to pick up litter at a nearby creek at least two times per year. This event encourages students to responsibly dispose of their waste and serve the community.
The Office of Sustainability helps students divert waste from the landfill as they move in and out of the residence halls. These events encourage students to recycle cardboard and donate unwanted materials to local non-profit organizations.
The College of Public Service organizes an annual office supply swap at the beginning of the spring semester. This event encourages staff and faculty to swap unwanted office supplies.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
In the Fall of 2023, a Geography and Environmental Studies student conducted an audit of the composting stream and drafted a report identifying several areas of improvement.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
UCCS does not have an official policy, but staff are encouraged to prevent waste with certain large purchases.
The CU System Procurement Services Center continues to work with contracted companies to reduce their packaging.
The CU System Procurement Services Center continues to work with contracted companies to reduce their packaging.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
UCCS has an Office of Materials, Acquisition, and Distribution in Facilities Services that assists in large item pick-ups. This Office partners with the Office of Sustainability regarding e-waste and move-in donations.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
UCCS utilizes an email listserv for faculty and staff to redistribute office supplies that can be reused. Items are diverse, from folders, printer cartridges, furniture, computers, monitors, etc. The listserv is used frequently, and items turn over very quickly. Being in lean-budget situations ensures that all materials are re-used. Students and staff have organized office supply swaps.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
In 2008, UCCS instituted the Pawprints program which charges for prints in all computer labs and the library on campus. Between the pay for printing and the double-sided printing default settings, paper consumption in the labs has been reduced by over 50 percent.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
UCCS has digitized many resources including catalogs, research, forms, and reports.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Each year, UCCS partners with a local donation organization during the week of move-out to provide students with a way of donating reusable goods, including electronics. Through a local electronics recycler, there is also an opportunity for students to get rid of unused electronics. For the past three years, this program has included donation partners with One Nation Walking Together (a local organization that donates items to Reservations), Clyde's Cupboard (an on-campus food pantry for students,) Who Gives a Scrap (a local organization that helps keep craft items out of the landfill,) and All Breeds Dog Rescue and Training (for all bedding and towels.) Extra donation bins are provided in the residential halls during the week to encourage waste diversion.
https://communique.uccs.edu/?p=113284
https://communique.uccs.edu/?p=113284
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
UCCS plans a spring swap and move-out events to encourage reuse and donations of supplies and household goods in the residence halls. These items include clothes, books, electronics, school supplies, kitchen items, small appliances, and nonperishable foods. The Geography and Environmental Studies Climate Change class, in collaboration with Clyde's Closet and the Office of Sustainability, planned a supply swap event in the Spring Semester 2023.
The Office of Materials, Acquisitions, and Distribution within Facilities Services stores furniture for other departments to use and partners with e-waste recyclers to recycle electronic waste.
Clyde's Closet is a free, gently used professional clothing closet for UCCS students and alums to utilize for interviews, career fairs, special events, and everything in between.
Clydes Cupboard accepts and provides donated nonperishable food items.
Office Supply Swap: The College of Public Service organizes an annual office supply swap at the beginning of the spring semester. This event encourages staff and faculty to swap unwanted office supplies.
The Office of Materials, Acquisitions, and Distribution within Facilities Services stores furniture for other departments to use and partners with e-waste recyclers to recycle electronic waste.
Clyde's Closet is a free, gently used professional clothing closet for UCCS students and alums to utilize for interviews, career fairs, special events, and everything in between.
Clydes Cupboard accepts and provides donated nonperishable food items.
Office Supply Swap: The College of Public Service organizes an annual office supply swap at the beginning of the spring semester. This event encourages staff and faculty to swap unwanted office supplies.
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 recycling numbers above include single-stream, e-waste, scrap metal, and cooking oil. The composting numbers include food and plant materials.
E-waste includes electronics, batteries, cables, and toner/ink cartridges.
The baseline year was changed due to a lack of data available on the original reported year and was updated to 2009/2010 where there was prevalent data available.
https://sustain.uccs.edu/
https://swell.uccs.edu/
https://sustain.uccs.edu/resources/campus-sustainable-features-map
https://gaf.uccs.edu/
https://sustain.uccs.edu/get-involved/creek-week-clean-stream
https://career.uccs.edu/channels/clydes-closet/
https://facsrvs.uccs.edu/service-groups/materials-acquisitions-and-distribution
https://dos.uccs.edu/basic-needs/clydes-cupboard
E-waste includes electronics, batteries, cables, and toner/ink cartridges.
The baseline year was changed due to a lack of data available on the original reported year and was updated to 2009/2010 where there was prevalent data available.
https://sustain.uccs.edu/
https://swell.uccs.edu/
https://sustain.uccs.edu/resources/campus-sustainable-features-map
https://gaf.uccs.edu/
https://sustain.uccs.edu/get-involved/creek-week-clean-stream
https://career.uccs.edu/channels/clydes-closet/
https://facsrvs.uccs.edu/service-groups/materials-acquisitions-and-distribution
https://dos.uccs.edu/basic-needs/clydes-cupboard
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.