Recycling program works out kinks

Nearly two months since inception, GCSU’s on-campus recycling program has yet to reach its full potential.

“We have yet to fill up our first commercial roll out bin at the transfer station, but it’s about half full now,” said Associate Director for Energy Management, Utilities and Emergency Preparedness Kevin Murner. “Overall, it seems to be progress made.”

Environmental Science Club President and SGA Recycling Coordinator Jeff Brittain has been instrumental in getting the recycling program underway at GCSU.

Brina Potvin

Courtney Hamlett, member of Gamma Sigma Sigma, empties recycling bins in Arts & Sciences once a week. She and about two of her sorority sisters meet every Friday and deposit the material at one of the transfer stations.

“It’s definitely a start, what we’ve got is better than what we had before,” Brittain said. “We’re headed in the right direction but we’re still working out a few kinks.”

In honor of America Recycles Day Nov. 15, and National Recycling Week, the Environmental Science Club had a table on Front Campus Nov. 15 and Nov. 16 to educate students of the importance of recycling as well as how to utilize the recycling program at GCSU.

There are currently bins in 21 locations around campus for student, faculty and staff to utilize.

“What we have in place now is only in the academic buildings and we are relying on volunteers to help,” Murner said.

The 12 organizations volunteering empty the bins on a weekly basis and another group has expressed interest in joining the effort as well. Courtney Hamlett, a junior mass communication major, is the liaison for the Gamma Sigma Sigma recycling group which is in charge of the bins in Arts & Sciences.

“It’s a lot of fun being a volunteer,” Hamlett said. “I’m excited we could get something started here at school, I know a lot of organizations have been wanting this for a while so it’s a great program.”

Hamlett and about two other girls in her organization meet every Friday to empty the bins and take them to the transfer stations.

“The students have been really good at separating the items out into different bins,” Hamlett said. “The only issue we’ve had is people leaving liquids in bottles, but otherwise they do a pretty good job.”

The program coordinators encourage students to get involved by recycling trash they accrue in their apartments or residence hall rooms as well. However, one problem they have run into is these students taking all of their personal recycling to on-campus bins which are not large enough to hold that kind of material.

“The bins that we have are designed for what they are being used for right now,” said Doug Oetter, associate professor of geography and advisor for the Environmental Science Club. “We wouldn’t want to put that at the Bobcat food court or in the residence halls where there is a lot more volume.”

SGA and the other program coordinators are trying to work out another system before bins can be placed in the residence halls. The date has not yet been set for when the system will go into effect.

“Any student can go and use the centers, they’re not limited to the (bins) on campus,” Brittain said.

During National Recycling Week, the Environmental Science Club also hopes to help students understand what can and cannot be recycled in the recycling bins. Aluminum cans should be emptied before they are placed in the bins. The only plastic that can be accepted is PET # 1 or HDPE # 3, that information can be found inside the recycling logo on the bottom of the container. Any newspaper or mixed paper must be dry and free of food waste. Cardboard boxes can also be recycled if broken down, flattened and left neatly beside the containers for pick up.

“Ultimately, if we don’t have a clean product, it gets thrown away, and that defeats the purpose,” Brittain said. “It’s going to take a lot of effort of the recycling programs part to educate campus on what’s acceptable and what’s not.”

There are also other things that can be recycled on campus other than what the bins allow, more details on those items can be found at gcsu.edu/green/recycle.

Some of the things that are not acceptable include yogurt cups, pizza boxes, napkins, paper towels or anything with food residue.

“I’ve met several of the volunteers and they are dedicated and energetic and ambitious and they are the real backbone of our community service,” Oetter said. “I don’t want to burn them out because of moldy yogurt cups.”

They are still working out some of the details including how often the bins have to be maintained.

“It’s great and awesome that people are using it, but people are using it a lot,” Brittain said. “We’ve got a group designated for each bin out, but they’re being used at a faster rate than they can be maintained.”

Another thing the program has done to help educate students is hiring the transfer station coordinator, Charles Hamilton. He is manning the facilities 20 hours a week to help students when they drop off their materials.

“Right now it’s a little bit slow, word hasn’t gotten out to everyone about the process yet,” Hamilton said. “I think it’s definitely going to pick up as time goes on, I’ve noticed a big increase just since I’ve started.”

The hours for the Centennial Center transfer station are from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The transfer station at The Village is open from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays.

The program coordinators hope increase the publicity of the program so more students are aware of the times and where they can take their recyclable materials.

“The sooner we can demonstrate savings the more we can continue to grow program, and you’re not going to demonstrate the savings based on how much money you save on plastic or newspaper, it’s how much less you pay for garbage disposal,” Oetter said. “It’s a good start, and it’s also a wonderful opportunity to educate people about the role that they play in their own material existence.”

Posted by Katelyn Hebert on Nov 18 2010. Filed under News. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.