Overall Rating Bronze - expired
Overall Score 43.88
Liaison Matt Wolsfeld
Submission Date Jan. 30, 2015
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

University of Saskatchewan
OP-22: Waste Minimization

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 0.87 / 5.00 Erin Akins
Sustainability Coordinator
Office of Sustainability
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

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Waste generated::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Materials recycled 429.77 Metric tons 135.37 Metric tons
Materials composted 1,653.80 Metric tons 0 Metric tons
Materials reused, donated or re-sold 2,314.59 Metric tons 0 Metric tons
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator 831.18 Metric tons 1,297.88 Metric tons

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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”::
Performance Year Baseline Year
Number of residential students 2,220 572
Number of residential employees 94 48
Number of in-patient hospital beds 0 0
Full-time equivalent enrollment 18,649.10 16,734.86
Full-time equivalent of employees 5,433.40 5,044.30
Full-time equivalent of distance education students 0 0

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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 May 1, 2013 April 30, 2014
Baseline Year May 1, 2005 April 30, 2006

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A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
Formal sustainability programming began in 2004.

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A brief description of any (non-food) waste audits employed by the institution:
Audits were performed in 2007-08 with student employees, Waste Characterization data is now provided annually by our recycling/waste contractor.

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A brief description of any institutional procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
At present we encourage practices to reduce and prevent waste, but there are no policies in place. As an example, deliveries from some of our suppliers are delivered in reusable tote boxes, rather than cardboard.

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A brief description of any surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
Although the University of Saskatchewan does have a policy and procedures regarding the disposal of surplus assets, at this point in time the reuse or exchange of materials is limited to furniture that still meets current ergonomic standards and only as space permits. Due to logistical, space and resource limitations there is no mechanism to facilitate the reuse or transfer of materials from one department to another at this time. Whenever possible surplus equipment and materials that cannot be used or stored on campus are matched up with a suitable not-for-profit organization.

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A brief description of the institution's efforts to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
Student and Enrolment Services Division (SESD) has ceased publication of all paper publications for students. These include the University Calendar, Registration Guide, Spring and Summer Bulletin, etc. There are no direct mailings from SESD to students other than admission letters.

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A brief description of any limits on paper and ink consumption employed by the institution:
In the fall of 2014, the Murray Library launched the PrintSMART initiative. Printing reduction tips and information is promoted online on the library webpage and posted at printing stations in the Library. Info-graphics with paper use stats and paper use reduction tips are used as desktop backgrounds on library computers. The campaign was launched with a contest and social media campaign in October 2014. Link: http://libguides.usask.ca/HowDoI/print The Arts and Science IT initiative called PARC (Printing Awareness / Reduction Campaign) promotes the reduction of printing throughout the college by and providing tips and suggestions on how best to reduce daily printing. Links: http://artsandscience.usask.ca/parc/pdf/PARC_2014.pdf http://artsandscience.usask.ca/parc/ Our stationary supply provides ink cartridge recycling services for the University.

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A brief description of any programs employed by the institution to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
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A brief description of any other (non-food) waste minimization strategies employed by the institution:
Batteries (alkaline, lithium ion, nickel-cadmium, nickel-metal hydride), cell phones and other small consumer electronics can be placed in bins in several locations across campus for recycling. Supreme Basics, the university's contracted supplier for office and IT supplies, takes empty toner and ink cartridges as part of their sustainability program and ensure they are properly recycled. Reusable lumber from construction project is made available for the public to pick up in our "free wood box." Some pieces of reusable furniture are also made available for re-use through this box. Leftover paint from renovation and construction projects is made available for reuse or recycling through the Saskatchewan Association of Rehabilitation Centres. Currently the majority of grounds waste is composted

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A brief description of any food waste audits employed by the institution:
An food waste audit was conducted in 2008, but there has not been follow-up since that time.

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A brief description of any programs and/or practices to track and reduce pre-consumer food waste in the form of kitchen food waste, prep waste and spoilage:
We have adopted new concepts such as batch cooking as well as controlling kitchen production to reduce food waste.

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A brief description of programs and/or practices to track and reduce post-consumer food waste:
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A brief description of the institution's provision of reusable and/or third party certified compostable to-go containers for to-go food and beverage items (in conjunction with a composting program):
n/a

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A brief description of the institution's provision of reusable service ware for “dine in” meals and reusable and/or third party certified compostable service ware for to-go meals (in conjunction with a composting program):
n/a

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A brief description of any discounts offered to customers who use reusable containers (e.g. mugs) instead of disposable or compostable containers in to-go food service operations:
Food Services offers discounts for customers that bring their own mugs, biodegradable containers for to-go food as well as compostable paper products. These standards are not necessarily applied to food outlets run by franchises.

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A brief description of other dining services waste minimization programs and initiatives:
Our main and only residential dining room is trayless. Trayless dining was introduced to reduce the amount of food taken by consumers and the amount of water used in washing each tray (30 gallons/tray), as well as the dish-washing liquids.

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The website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization initiatives is available:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The Campus Recycling Program recycles the following materials: paper, cardboard. beverage containers, glass, plastic, metal, clean food plastic, uncontaminated lab plastic, batteries, cell phones, toner cartridges, electronics and paint. . Some fields are marked zero because the data is not available.

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.