Waste
Introduction
Waste reduction mitigates the need to extract virgin materials from the earth, such as trees and metals. Reducing the generation of waste reduces the flow of waste to incinerators and landfills which produce greenhouse gas emissions, can contaminate air and groundwater supplies, and tend to have disproportionate negative impacts on low-income communities. Source reduction and waste diversion also save institutions costly landfill and hauling service fees. In addition, waste reduction campaigns can engage the entire campus community in contributing to a tangible sustainability goal.
Featured Resources
Latest News from AASHE Bulletin
New Resources
UA Compost Cats: Students Creating Community Partnerships to Turn Garbage into Gardens and Foster Local Food Security
- University of Arizona (AZ)
Located 60 miles from the largest, landlocked port for food in North America, the student-run Compost Cats program has now forged partnerships with the City of Tucson, San Xavier Co-op …
- Posted April 12, 2014
- Case Studies
- View more
Turning Trash Into Cash- Sustainable Social Entrepreneurship
- University of San Diego (CA)
In April 2011, the University of San Diego (USD) opened the Electronics Recycling Center (ERC), San Diego's first full-time e-waste collection facility for the public, with the intention of making …
- Posted April 12, 2014
- Case Studies
- View more
How to Start a Comprehensive Composting and Recycling Program at a Commuter College
- Austin Community College (TX)
The Austin Community College is committed to promote and practice responsible environmental behavior. ACC has been rolling out numerous green initiatives designed to shrink its environmental footprint and increase the …
- Posted April 11, 2014
- Case Studies
- View more
UCI Zero Waste Food Court Pilot Program
- University of California, Irvine (CA)
The University of California, Irvine launched a pilot program for post-consumer waste diversion in retail dining in 2013. The program achieved Zero Waste under the University of California Office of …
- Posted March 28, 2014
- Case Studies
- View more
Moving towards waste-free Move-out
- Knox College (IL)
At the end of the school year, Knox college students, faculty, and staff join forces to collect and divert the many streams of resources (formerly classified as waste) generated during …
- Posted March 17, 2014
- Case Studies
- View more
Take Action on Waste: A Community Based Social Marketing Project in Student Residences
- University of Alberta (AB)
Take Action on Waste began in 2010 as a project at the University of Alberta that aims to improve waste diversion behaviours in residences. Challenges with infrastructure and education at …
- Posted May 15, 2013
- Case Studies
- View more
Food Scraps Recovery at Kean University
- Kean University (NJ)
Kean University began a comprehensive on-campus food scraps composting project in January 2010. Food scraps are processed in an in-vessel composting system that requires just five days to convert them …
- Posted May 14, 2013
- Case Studies
- View more
Sustainable Packaging at the University of Florida
- University of Florida (FL)
Gator Dining Services-ARAMARK at the University of Florida eliminated foam containers from campus dining operations, making UF the only ARAMARK foam- free dining operation in the south region. Foam products …
- Posted May 10, 2013
- Case Studies
- View more
BYU-Idaho Recycling Center Program
- Brigham Young University, Idaho (ID)
The point of this project was to use the recycling facilities that have been established at BYU-Idaho to partner with the City of Rexburg and expand the recycling program to …
- Posted Nov. 19, 2012
- Case Studies
- View more
We Conserve: A Campus Wide Campaign
- University of Wisconsin-Madison (WI)
The University of Wisconsin - Madison initiated the aggressive We Conserve program in 2006 to further strengthen its environmental stewardship practices and to promote education and motivation to the community …
- Posted July 8, 2012
- Case Studies
- View more
Recycling, Reuse, and Composting Program: Phase 1
- University of Rochester (NY)
Until 2008, a formal recycling program did not exist at our University. In order to establish a sustainability program that would expand and thrive, Support Operations implemented Phase 1 of …
- Posted July 2, 2012
- Case Studies
- View more
Foam Free Dining at the University of Florida
- University of Florida (FL)
- Aramark (PA)
Gator Dining Services at the University of Florida (UF) eliminated foam containers from campus dining operations, making the University of Florida the only ARAMARK foam- free dining operation in the …
- Posted July 2, 2012
- Case Studies
- View more
Public-Private Food Waste Composting Program
- Illinois State University (IL)
- Rochester Institute of Technology (NY)
The goal of this project was to provide a viable option for businesses and institutions to divert their food waste from the solid waste stream. McLean County is a prime …
- Posted June 26, 2012
- Case Studies
- View more
Earning Green By Going Green: A Case Study of the Waste Stream at LIU Post
- LIU Post (NY)
This is a complete analysis of the waste stream at LIU Post, looking at nearly every type of category of waste that we produce. A waste audit was conducted to …
- Posted June 11, 2012
- Case Studies
- View more
Zero Waste at Ohio Stadium: Lessons Learned and a Beginner's Guide
- The Ohio State University (OH)
In autumn 2011, The Ohio State University launched the Zero Waste at Ohio Stadium program, becoming the largest stadium in the country to attempt a "zero waste" initiative. Zero waste …
- Posted March 13, 2012
- Case Studies
- View more
University Recycling at work! Case study in Puerto Rico
- Ana G. Méndez University System (PR)
In 2006, Undergraduate Environmental Science students sparked the Recycling Program at the Universidad Metropolitana, Puerto Rico with a simple question "Why we do not recycle at the University?
Since then, …
- Posted June 23, 2011
- Case Studies
- View more
Biomass at Colorado State University: the Good, the Bad, & the Ugly
- Colorado State University (CO)
In 2009, Colorado State University and the Colorado State Forest Service (CSFS) partnered to build a biomass heating plant on the University's Foothills Campus. This facility burns wood chips, rather …
- Posted June 16, 2011
- Case Studies
- View more
Testing Single Stream Versus Dual Stream Recycling at CU
- University of Colorado Boulder (CO)
A new single stream recycling program was tested in CU's residence halls and family housing courts during 2009. CU hoped that the added convenience would invigorate participation among the nearly …
- Posted July 1, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Student and Staff Cooperative Implementation of a Residential Recycling Program at Iowa State University
- Iowa State University (IA)
The Department of Resdidence (DoR) and student leaders teamed up together to implement a residence hall wide recycling program. The program is intended to reduce waste of recyclables in residence …
- Posted July 1, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
EcoMug at Western Michigan University: The First Decade
- Western Michigan University (MI)
In 2009, Western Michigan University created a novel, and as far as we know unprecedented, waste reduction initiative. During the first few weeks of school, each incoming student is given …
- Posted July 1, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Grounds Services Green Waste Re-Use Program at Arizona State University
- Arizona State University (AZ)
The Grounds Services department initiated a pair of programs that convert ASU's Tempe campus landscape green waste into valuable assets. One program collects green "waste" and sends it to a …
- Posted July 1, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Iowa State University Recycling and Sustainability Program
- Iowa State University (IA)
The purpose of our project was to create a more sustainable living environment for students living on campus. The effort included creating a convenient, easy to use department wide recycling …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Harvard Medical School Reusable Sharps Container Pilot
- Harvard University (MA)
In collaboration with Harvard Medical School (HMS) Campus Operations, Environmental Health & Safety, and the Office for Sustainability, two large research buildings constituting HMS' 'North Campus' have fully transitioned from …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Implementing Vermicomposting in Luther College Residence Halls
- Luther College (IA)
Luther students have started disposing of fruit and vegetable waste in worm composting bins installed in seven of Luther's residence halls by students from the Luther Sustainability program.
Students are …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
Centralized Recycling Pilot at NYU Stern
- New York University (NY)
The NYU Stern Campus Greening Initiative, Facilities, Recycling, Sustainability Office and Green Grants teams partnered to run a pilot project aimed at increasing the volume of recycled material at the …
- Posted June 30, 2010
- Case Studies
- View more
This tab provides access to data collected through AASHE’s Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System™ (STARS). STARS is a transparent, self-reporting framework for colleges and universities to measure their sustainability performance. STARS enables meaningful comparisons over time and across institutions using a common set of measurements developed with broad participation from the campus sustainability community.
All responses reference content from reports under the latest version of STARS, version 2.2. AASHE membership and log-in is required.
OP 18: Waste Minimization & Diversion
- Total waste generated per weighted campus user, performance year
- Percentage reduction in total waste generated per weighted campus user from baseline
- Percentage of materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator
- Waste-related behavior change initiatives
- Waste auditing efforts
- Website URL - waste minimization and diversion efforts
OP 19: Construction & Demolition Waste Diversion
- Percentage of construction and demolition materials diverted from the landfill or incinerator
- Website URL - construction & demolition waste diversion efforts
OP 20: Hazardous Waste Management
Additional analysis on scores and quantitative fields can be conducted using the STARS Benchmarking Tool.