| Overall Rating | Gold - expired |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 65.64 |
| Liaison | Rob Andrejewski |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2019 |
| Executive Letter | Download |
University of Richmond
OP-19: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.47 / 8.00 |
Rob
Andrejewski Director of Sustainability Office for Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2: Waste Minimization
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 472.38 Tons | 534 Tons |
| Materials composted | 164.41 Tons | 164 Tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 12.03 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Tons | 0 Tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 1,200.06 Tons | 1,451 Tons |
| Total waste generated | 1,848.88 Tons | 2,149 Tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
N/A
Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
| Start Date | End Date | |
| Performance Year | July 1, 2017 | June 30, 2018 |
| Baseline Year | July 1, 2014 | June 30, 2015 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
2005 was the baseline for our first STARS report
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 2,799 | 2,700 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 9 | 9 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site and/or staffed hospital beds | 0 | 0 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 3,633 | 3,732 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees (staff + faculty) | 1,703 | 1,460 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 4,704 | 4,571.25 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.39 Tons | 0.47 Tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
16.39
Part 3: Waste Diversion
35.09
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
35.09
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) | Yes |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
University-owned electronic waste is collected by Information Services and recycled by an R2 certified partner. Annually, the University sponsors an e-waste event for students, staff, and faculty where we capture multiple tons of goods.
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
1
Tons
Recycling Management
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
18
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:
During the Rethink Waste campaign, we audited ten locations to determine compliance with the recycling program, areas of need, and contamination rates. We create new bin, bag, and signage standards. Twice yearly we continue to audit waste in various location types, as well as at athletic events.
Programs and Initiatives
University of Richmond has set an ambitious goal of 75% waste diversion by 2025. This means that by 2025, we are striving to have 75% of our waste recycled, composted, or donated for reuse instead of going to the landfill. In order to achieve this goal, we solicit the help and participation of all faculty, staff, and students on campus.
When we roll out the new bins, bags, and signs in a building, we include an educational campaign to help people find the right receptacle to be recycled or composted, so those materials can be responsibly reused. We use a sorting game and pledges to invite participation. We have Be a Green Spider quizzes to test people's knowledge as well
Annually, the University participates in RecycleMania each year, including a Rethink Waste Basketball game, clothing swap, film screening, and other tabling events.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
The Office for Sustainability, Waste Management, Facilities and various courses work together to conduct waste audits each fall and spring. Our vendor, Waste Management, is on site to help sort materials properly, provide temporary bins, and weigh the sorted materials. The
We are fortunate to have professors in both Geography and the Environment and Environmental Studies integrate the waste audits into their coursework. The audit outcomes inform student projects and presentations. During RecycleMania, we have conducted waste audits in the Forum, a central outdoor location, each of the last three years.
In 2017, we worked with Reduction In Motion to audit 10 campus locations representing dining, academic, administrative, and residential locations.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste (e.g. by minimizing packaging and purchasing in bulk):
The University recommends buying Environmentally Preferable Products (EPP) - products or services that have a lesser or reduced effect on human health and the environment when compared with competing products or services that serve the same purpose. EPPs take into consideration: Performance, durability, the ability to be repaired, natural resource use and waste reduction, recyclability and recycled content, biodegradrable materials, and toxicity.
The green procurement guidelines state a goal to follow the Cradle to Cradle concept of buying products that are sustainably produced and can be easily recycled, reused and re-purposed. The University prioritizes products that use environmentally safe and healthy materials, use design for material reutilization, such as recycling or composting, promote the use of renewable energy and energy efficiency, have efficient use of water, and include strategies for social responsibility.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The sustainability office manages UROSE, an office supply exchange, which is open to all offices and student groups who wish to donate surplus supplies or pick up free supplies. In addition.
Surplus furniture is managed through Events, Conferences, & Support Services. Gently used office and meeting room furniture is available for use in offices on campus.
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):
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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 a limited amount of print credits each semester. Full time undergraduates are limited to 400 pages a semester, part time undergraduates are limited to 200 pages, and law school students are limited to 350 pages per semester. All limits on printing apply to public printers on campus such as computer labs, classrooms, and libraries. Once students use their print credits they have the option to purchase additional print credits for a small fee.
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:
All course catalogs, course schedules, and directories are made available online. Hard copies of the course catalogs are not available. Hard copies of the University directory are available for a fee. A committee on greening commencement has taken the lead on examining print v. online communications, reducing program booklets (based on previous year leftovers), and condensing print-based outreach to one mailing.
Information Services is working on an initiative to digitize many processes, which will roll out in 2019-20.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
The Big Yard Sale is a materials management event designed to capture discarded items during student move-out for reuse via an end-of-year community sale. Each year during spring move out, the Office for Sustainability and the Falls of the James Group of the Sierra Club, in collaboration with University facilities staff and student groups, collect reusable goods that have been discarded and/or donated for the sale. The collection effort begins a few weeks prior to graduation as students begin to move out of the residence halls.
In an attempt to stem the tide of materials discarded at one time, a 40-foot trailer is located on campus for item storage. Two weeks before the final exam period, bins are placed in laundry rooms across campus for students to deposit yard sale donations. Volunteers from the campus groups place signage near the bins and get the word out about the sale. Custodial staff transport materials from the collection areas to the Goodwill trailer on campus. Throughout the collection period, Big Yard Sale volunteers also gather abandoned items from the dumpster areas.
The University of Richmond provides Millhiser Gymnasium as a host site for the Big Yard Sale. The Falls of the James Group manage all volunteers and oversee the sale. Donated and and scavenged goods are brought into the gym, sorted and cleaned, organized by categories on tables, and priced inexpensively. On Friday evening, generally one week after graduation, University staff, faculty, and students take advantage of the "Preview Sale." Community residents come to the sale on Saturday morning. All unsold goods are donated to Goodwill, which in kind provides the 40-foot trailer and clothing racks for use during the sale.
As a result of the sale, the University of Richmond promotes a culture of waste reduction and material reuse, saves on disposal costs, and fundraises for the community. Hundreds of people come to campus to purchase clothes, electronics, appliances, tools, and more at very affordable rates.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
A strong partnership with Goodwill of Central Virginia has resulted in tons of material being diverted from the landfill. Books from the Law Library, personal electronic devices, and surplus clothing have been captured and donated through this partnership.
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.