Overall Rating | Silver |
---|---|
Overall Score | 57.01 |
Liaison | Meghna Tare |
Submission Date | April 3, 2022 |
University of Texas at Arlington
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
Status | Score | Responsible Party |
---|---|---|
6.55 / 8.00 |
Bhargavi
Jeyarajah Sustainability Coordinator Office of Sustainability |
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indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Parts 1 and 2. Waste per person
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Materials recycled | 528.75 Metric tons | 558.83 Metric tons |
Materials composted | 20.92 Metric tons | 31.75 Metric tons |
Materials donated or re-sold | 1.18 Metric tons | 43.82 Metric tons |
Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Metric tons | 0 Metric tons |
Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 498.96 Metric tons | 11,748.95 Metric tons |
Total waste generated | 1,049.81 Metric tons | 12,383.33 Metric tons |
If reporting post-recycling residual conversion, provide:
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Start and end dates of the performance year and baseline year (or three-year periods):
Start Date | End Date | |
Performance Period | Jan. 1, 2021 | Dec. 31, 2021 |
Baseline Period | Sept. 1, 2014 | Aug. 31, 2015 |
If end date of the baseline year/period is 2004 or earlier, provide:
The baseline of 2014 - 2015 was adopted because that was the most recent STARS Report that our institution submitted.
Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Number of students resident on-site | 5,214 | 2,363 |
Number of employees resident on-site | 27 | 10 |
Number of other individuals resident on-site | 80 | 40 |
Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 40,769 | 51,443 |
Full-time equivalent of employees | 3,472 | 3,277 |
Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 17,967 | 14,770 |
Weighted campus users | 21,095.75 | 30,595.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.05 Metric tons | 0.40 Metric tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
87.70
Part 3. Waste diverted from the landfill or incinerator
52.47
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
52.47
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:
Other recycled materials include automotive recycling (Lamps, Motor Oil, and Oil Filters).
Optional Fields
Active Recovery and Reuse
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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
14
A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
In order to reduce contamination in the recycling stream, the Office of Sustainability held recycling trainings for Dining Staff from high contamination areas and for interested faculty and staff members. The office also keeps close track of contamination incidents and makes sure that building management of specific buildings are informed and can try to diagnose the issue at a building-level.
Programs and Initiatives
Balcones, the recycling contractor, provides stickers to stick onto recycling dumpsters with pictures of what can and cannot be recycled. The Eco-Reps program has a recycling campaign that includes educational sessions on recycling with real UTA recycling data and marketing material for students and a social media campaign on Instagram.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
In 2021, Balcones Resources, the University's recycling contractor conducted a recycling audit to determine how much of each recyclable material are recycled on campus. This gave the Office of Sustainability important data on how it can improve education on recycling.
The Office of Sustainability also keeps track of contaminations to make sure that those buildings are targeted in future recycling trainings and campaigns.
The Office of Sustainability also keeps track of contaminations to make sure that those buildings are targeted in future recycling trainings and campaigns.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
The Office Green Teams program, the employee peer-to-peer education program by the Office of Sustainability, requires offices make orders in bulk to reduce packaging and shipping emissions.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
The University is committed to reusing the resources within the community. The Office of Business Affairs and Controllers, Asset Management collects discarded or unused items throughout the campus and store it on site location.
The surplus is sold online through a website.
Some of the items like the old bikes (pounded by the police or from the lost and found) are being fixed and included in the Maverick Bike Program on campus for students to use for the entire semester (free of cost).
The surplus is sold online through a website.
Some of the items like the old bikes (pounded by the police or from the lost and found) are being fixed and included in the Maverick Bike Program on campus for students to use for the entire semester (free of cost).
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
The Office Green Teams program has a Microsoft Teams group where members share resources on reusing materials and reducing waste.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
UT Arlington students have a $100 quota for free printing using OIT and librray printers during the academic year. Once a student has used his/her quota she will have to pay for all subsequent printing for the year. Students need their Mav express card to release all print jobs.
The Institution is also encouraging the use of online resources to reduce printing including posting the tenure applications and related documents online.
For the Fy 2010-11 we are also exploring the option to mandate double sided printing, restrict color printing, using web based printers, provide with technology like ipad and laptop to faculty to reduce the printing.
The Institution is also encouraging the use of online resources to reduce printing including posting the tenure applications and related documents online.
For the Fy 2010-11 we are also exploring the option to mandate double sided printing, restrict color printing, using web based printers, provide with technology like ipad and laptop to faculty to reduce the printing.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
All catalogs, both undergraduate and graduate are located online. Additionally the schedule of classes is listed online.
The information packet for the students moving into the on campus housing is also provided online.
The University encourages to send information and marketing brochures via email or online.
The information packet for the students moving into the on campus housing is also provided online.
The University encourages to send information and marketing brochures via email or online.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
Residence Hall students are asked to donate unwanted clothing, toiletries, and non-perishable food during the move-out. The Office of Facilities Management Staff deliver three large blue bins to each of the five residence halls. The Residence Director (RA) is also responsible for appropriately labeling the bins and marketing the programs. The RD will also contact a local agency to coordinate the donation and pick up.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
The Inventory and Distribution Services Department organizes all surplus items into "assets" and "non-assets." Assets and non-assets that are no longer needed by a department are sent to Surplus Property. Surplus viewing times are available for faculty and staff to inspect and view surplus items for use in their departments. Furniture and equipment that is not otherwise distributed or transferred is sold through an online auction.
Website URL where information about the institution’s waste minimization and diversion efforts 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.