UpDate - Vol. 14, No. 10, Page 9
November 3, 1994
Recycle Delaware recognizes campus program

     Four sites of the University's recycling program (Hollingsworth
and Pearson Hall parking lots, Laird Campus and the Rodney complex)
received award certificates from the Recycle Delaware Program for
collecting 1,300 tons of recyclable material, at a recent September
ceremony in Dover, according to Roger Bowman, grounds supervisor in
charge of recycling.
     Overall, there has been a 30-ton increase in recyclable material
collected at the University, from 250 tons in fiscal year 1993 to 280
tons in fiscal year 1994. Overall the state has collected 50,000 tons
of recyclable materials.
     At the same time, recycling of white office paper and low-grade
colored paper was down by 30 tons this past fiscal year, Bowman said.
Use of electronic mail may account for some of the decrease, but
Bowman reminds members of the campus community of the importance of
recycling and making that extra effort to pitch paper in the right
container.
     "It is important that everyone on campus realize that they can
make a difference. The reasons behind recycling concern everyone.
Recycling conserves natural resources and means less trash in
landfills-a genuine problem in this area," Bowman said.
     Currently, there is a strong market for plastic, glass and
aluminum cans and the market for paper and cardboard is improving,
Bowman said.
     Recycling is global, he pointed out. For example, a drought in
China resulted in a poor cotton crop, so the Chinese are now
manufacturing blended fabrics, creating a demand for recyclable
plastic.
     Bowman recently attended a conference on recycling at Towson
State University where representatives from colleges in Virginia,
Pennsylvania and Maryland shared ideas and compared programs.
     Some states have mandatory programs, unlike the voluntary Recycle
Delaware Program. Since those who participate in Delaware care about
recycling, the Delaware waste stream is 95 percent pure-considerably
higher than many other states, Bowman said.
     The University recycling program, which employs 15 student
workers, is currently expanding recycling sites where the need
exists-at Pencader I, II, II, Harter Hall and the Christiana Tower
site, and in Purnell, Smith, Graham and Pearson halls.
                                                   -Sue Swyers Moncure