| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 69.86 |
| Liaison | Nicole Arsenault |
| Submission Date | April 3, 2024 |
York University
OP-18: Waste Minimization and Diversion
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
5.61 / 8.00 |
Nicole
Arsenault Program Director, Sustainability Office of Sustainability |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Figures needed to determine total waste generated (and diverted):
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Materials recycled | 1,704.67 Metric tons | 1,851.12 Metric tons |
| Materials composted | 168.30 Metric tons | 302.31 Metric tons |
| Materials donated or re-sold | 0 Metric tons | 12.75 Metric tons |
| Materials disposed through post-recycling residual conversion | 0 Metric tons | 0 Metric tons |
| Materials disposed in a solid waste landfill or incinerator | 1,149.33 Metric tons | 1,752.17 Metric tons |
| Total waste generated | 3,022.30 Metric tons | 3,918.35 Metric tons |
A brief description of the residual conversion facility:
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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 | May 1, 2020 | April 30, 2021 |
| Baseline Period | May 1, 2015 | April 30, 2016 |
A brief description of when and why the waste generation baseline was adopted:
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Figures needed to determine "Weighted Campus Users”:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Number of students resident on-site | 1,742 | 3,521 |
| Number of employees resident on-site | 6 | 7 |
| Number of other individuals resident on-site | 234 | 1,042 |
| Total full-time equivalent student enrollment | 51,528 | 46,510 |
| Full-time equivalent of employees | 4,906 | 4,419 |
| Full-time equivalent of students enrolled exclusively in distance education | 0 | 0 |
| Weighted campus users | 42,996.50 | 40,120.75 |
Total waste generated per weighted campus user:
| Performance Year | Baseline Year | |
| Total waste generated per weighted campus user | 0.07 Metric tons | 0.10 Metric tons |
Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline:
28.03
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator by recycling, composting, donating or re-selling, performance year:
61.97
Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator (including up to 10 percent attributable to post-recycling residual conversion):
61.97
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 | No |
| Other (please specify below) | No |
A brief description of other materials the institution has recycled, composted, donated and/or re-sold:
Clothing, electronic waste.
Materials intended for disposal but subsequently recovered and reused on campus, performance year:
705.64
Metric tons
Does the institution use single stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Does the institution use dual stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
Yes
Does the institution use multi-stream recycling to collect standard recyclables in common areas?:
No
Average contamination rate for the institution’s recycling program:
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A brief description of any recycling quality control mechanisms employed:
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A brief description of the institution's waste-related behavior change initiatives:
1) York University's Sustainability Website lists tips to help the community live more sustainably and incorporating a green mindset, including tips and action steps to reduce waste. In addition, with assistance from Printing Services, distinct labels have been developed for tri-bins and organic digesters to increase waste diversion and reduce contamination of waste streams.
2) In 2021, a masters student based out of EUC performed a survey to understand York University student perceptions and attitudes about waste. This allowed students to reflect on their own actions and practices about waste and encouraged them to make changes based on their response.
3) The Lug-a-Mug Program at York aims to reduce waste by providing discounts to those who use their own containers to purchase beverages. Reusable mugs are accepted at all campus food vendors, and select vendors offer a discount ranging from $.10 to $.25.
2) In 2021, a masters student based out of EUC performed a survey to understand York University student perceptions and attitudes about waste. This allowed students to reflect on their own actions and practices about waste and encouraged them to make changes based on their response.
3) The Lug-a-Mug Program at York aims to reduce waste by providing discounts to those who use their own containers to purchase beverages. Reusable mugs are accepted at all campus food vendors, and select vendors offer a discount ranging from $.10 to $.25.
A brief description of the institution's waste audits and other initiatives to assess its materials management efforts and identify areas for improvement:
Once annually, the University conducts a 24-hour sample waste audit of representative buildings (i.e academic, administrative, residential, vending, interior and exterior). The findings from this audit are used to develop the annual waste reduction plan.
A brief description of the institution's procurement policies designed to prevent waste:
York University phased out the sale of bottled water in September of 2015, which has included a provision that University funds not be used to purchase bottled water. The University and has also installed 75 water refill stations on campus. Students, faculty and staff are encouraged to bring reusable water bottles with them.
A brief description of the institution's surplus department or formal office supplies exchange program that facilitates reuse of materials:
York University outlines procedure for the recycling and disposal of equipment, furnishings and other assets (excluding real estate or other interests in land) that are no longer of use to a University department or operating unit. Once an asset is declared to be surplus, the university surplus furniture can be transferred to another department to decrease waste and maximize the life cycle prior to considering disposal. If it is not claimed by another department, Procurement Services will select one of the four for disposal of the items. 1. Auction: Depending on the surplus item, Strategic Procurement Services will arrange for the item to be collected and the item will be auctioned off to an external person or group. Money collected from the sale of the item(s) will be returned to the originating department (minus any auction fees).
2. Donation: Strategic Procurement Services will arrange for the item to be collected and the item will be donated to a University sanctioned non-profit organization. If an item has no market value, but is of value to a non-profit organization, it will be declared surplus and donated on an ""as is, where is"" basis. A receipt will be issued to transfer the responsibility of ownership.
3. Trade-in: A trade-in may be considered where the market value is realized and the new asset to be purchased is priced competitively. Equipment to be traded-in for the purchase of new equipment will be handled by Strategic Procurement Services at the time of requesting quotes from prospective vendors.
4. Disposal: Assets that are not in working condition, or considered obsolete, can be disposed of by Facilities Services following their environmental disposal and recycling guidelines.
2. Donation: Strategic Procurement Services will arrange for the item to be collected and the item will be donated to a University sanctioned non-profit organization. If an item has no market value, but is of value to a non-profit organization, it will be declared surplus and donated on an ""as is, where is"" basis. A receipt will be issued to transfer the responsibility of ownership.
3. Trade-in: A trade-in may be considered where the market value is realized and the new asset to be purchased is priced competitively. Equipment to be traded-in for the purchase of new equipment will be handled by Strategic Procurement Services at the time of requesting quotes from prospective vendors.
4. Disposal: Assets that are not in working condition, or considered obsolete, can be disposed of by Facilities Services following their environmental disposal and recycling guidelines.
A brief description of the institution's platforms to encourage peer-to-peer exchange and reuse:
Regenesis York opened a unique borrowing centre in January 2017 which continues to run today. The centre operates much like a tool library and allows students and other community members to borrow items such as tools, games, camping equipment, sports equipment, and much more. This promotes the reuse of items that individuals consume on a yearly basis but rarely use, and are thus better off borrowing.
A brief description of the institution's limits on paper and ink consumption:
All undergraduate students must pay a fee per page for printing in all school computer labs or libraries.
A brief description of the institution's initiatives to make materials available online by default rather than printing them:
1) The York University Bookstore has a broad selection of course materials available in digital format. Digital format now represents about 40 per cent of all materials the Bookstore provides to students. When a title is adopted through the Bookstore, the process is managed entirely by the Bookstore and the title is made available in digital format if it is possible.
2) Sm@rtBuy is York’s on-line procurement system that will streamline purchasing at York, allowing for significant time savings for everyone currently involved in purchasing routine items. A paperless, web-based bid tool has been implemented, which will allow York’s proposal evaluators to evaluate and score proposals electronically.
2) Sm@rtBuy is York’s on-line procurement system that will streamline purchasing at York, allowing for significant time savings for everyone currently involved in purchasing routine items. A paperless, web-based bid tool has been implemented, which will allow York’s proposal evaluators to evaluate and score proposals electronically.
A brief description of the institution's program to reduce residence hall move-in/move-out waste:
1) York sets up ""FreeStuff"" tables for residence move-in/ move-out. Students are able to place their unwanted clothes, books and household items for others to take, and at the end of the move-out period, all remaining items were donated to the Oasis Clothing Bank. Although this program was temporarily halted due to COVID-19, it resumed in 2022.
2) Room stuffing materials for move-in have been reduced; previously, there would be a lot of physical post cards and materials that campus partners would ask to have provided in each residence room, but we are moving towards digital copies of these sorts of things that can be shared electronically to reduce printing.
2) Room stuffing materials for move-in have been reduced; previously, there would be a lot of physical post cards and materials that campus partners would ask to have provided in each residence room, but we are moving towards digital copies of these sorts of things that can be shared electronically to reduce printing.
A brief description of the institution's programs or initiatives to recover and reuse other materials intended for disposal:
1) The York University Regenesis chapter hosts a Free Store on the Keele Campus, Free Store - a space where clothing and common household items are offered for free. This encourages individuals to reduce landfill waste by giving unused items away to those who need them. The Free Store re-directs items that would otherwise be considered waste for traditional and creative uses, giving them a second life. 2) York University diverts our food waste to WasteCo, who participates in the Toronto Zoo Share program. ZooShare turns inedible food waste into renewable power for the Ontario grid. 3) A C4 Capstone team is working with the Office of Sustainability to create a reuse facility on campus for project supplies and other materials that the university disposes of. The objective of this project is to look at whether/how a student-led, student-run space could be created to collect, sort, and provide materials across the campus for projects, in order to reduce York's waste and to reduce the cost of materials for student-led projects. https://www.yorku.ca/capstone/project-commons/project-106/
4) Residence Night Porters ensure recycling is appropriately sorted on a weekly basis during a specific shift in which they collect recycling from the lounges and common areas.
4) Residence Night Porters ensure recycling is appropriately sorted on a weekly basis during a specific shift in which they collect recycling from the lounges and common areas.
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:
1. To determine the waste generation on campus, York used an average of 3 years (Fiscal 2020, 2021, 2022) to reduce the impact of outliers. We wanted to keep our performance year aligned amongst all credits (Fiscal 2021) but understand that waste consumption was heavily reduced during this time due to the limited activity on campus.
2. Many waste diversion programs such as our Oasis Donation Bins were temporarily discontinued due to COVID but are in the process of starting up again.
2. Many waste diversion programs such as our Oasis Donation Bins were temporarily discontinued due to COVID but are in the process of starting up again.
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.