2:13 p.m., Sept. 5, 2008----The University of Delaware, as part of its “Initiative for the Planet,” began a single-stream recycling project Sept. 1 in campus residence halls on the Laird Campus and the South Campus. The pilot project will be evaluated to determine its applicability campuswide.

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Single stream recycling eliminates the sorting function required by previous recycling operations. In addition to increasing the simplicity of operations, single-stream recycling offers major benefits, including an increased recycling rate (typically by 10 to 30 percent), fewer recycling containers and greater simplicity in communication and advertising.

The pilot project will allow Facilities to test single-stream before implementing a campuswide launch, while simultaneously exploring ways to reduce costs and improve performance.

Several reports on recycling at UD have called for a more expansive and more coordinated recycling program. The most recent report, by the Graduate Student Senate, revealed an inadequate number of recycling containers across campus.

The pilot program, developed under the leadership of Facilities personnel with input from state recycling experts and the student body, was designed to address the two major concerns voiced by the campus community: lack of a clear University policy on recycling and an inadequate number of recycling receptacles on campus.

Goals of the pilot program include:

• Raising the recycling diversion rate at single stream locations to 30 percent;
• Improving faculty, student, staff and visitor access to recycling receptacles;
• Creating a simple, user-friendly system; and
• Issuing and communicating clear recycling guidelines to the campus community.

The new system allows users to place all recyclables, including paper, glass, plastic and aluminum, into marked blue containers on Laird and South Campus. Each residence hall room on the Laird campus has been provided with a single blue recycling bin to dispose of recyclables. Students are responsible for disposing of recyclable material in clearly marked blue dumpsters outside their residence halls. In addition to the residence hall rooms, every main entrance, office, copy room, break room and locker room is equipped with a single-stream recycling container.

On the South Campus there are also containers at every main entrance, office, copy room, break room and locker room.

While the initial launch of single-stream recycling is limited to Laird and South Campus, the traditional recycling system is available on the three other geographic areas of the University, including Central, East, and West campuses.

The University's plan is built around the city of Newark's commitment to bring single-stream recycling online in June 2009 at the University and city's shared waste transfer station.

Making a significant contribution to support sustainability initiatives at UD is the Class of 2007 Recycling Fund. The senior class gift of $62,000, which represents the commitments from more than 1,650 students, parents and friends was presented to former UD President David P. Roselle during the 2007 Spring Commencement ceremonies.

The recycling fund has been used to make recycling receptacles more user friendly at campus locations including the Warner Hall, Dickinson F and Harrington A/B residence hall areas. The fund also was used to test paper recycling receptacles in George Reed and Warner residence halls

For more information about recycling at UD, go to [http://www.udel.edu/recycling].

The comprehensive pilot program was developed under the leadership of Bob Stozek, associate vice president for facilities; Mike Loftus, assistant director of facilities; Roger Bowman, manager of Facilities-Grounds; Ken Grablewski, maintenance and operations director, and John Warren, director of Facilities-Custodial Services, with major assistance from Kathleen Kerr, director of Residence Life, and Cathy Skelley, assistant director of Residence Life, and many resident assistants. Several student groups, including the StUDent Government Association, Graduate Student Senate and Greek Council provided input and committed to assist with education and outreach activities to raise the University's recycling rate. Jeff Chase, art director in the Office of Communications & Marketing, spearheaded the advertising effort with assistance from Molly Chappell, art director in the office, and many others.

Article by Jerry Rhodes
Graphic by Jeff Chase