Vol. 38, No. 18

1-4-2006
By: Susan Wittstock Dalzell

Making recycling convenient

It isn't possible for Tina Redman to hang out in every office and residence hall across campus, helpfully letting folks know where to deposit their empty aluminum cans, discarded newspapers and extra print-outs.

She can't gently remind you that the candy wrapper with remnants of chocolate ought to go into the trash can and not the mixed paper recycling bin, although the student who will eventually hand-sort the contents of that bin would probably thank her.

Instead, Redman, coordinator of Ohio State's Recycling Program, must rely on the good intentions of faculty, staff and students.

"I want to increase the amount of recycling by making the location of recycling containers convenient to use," said Redman, who came to the university in April 2005. "My two goals in being here are to make the collection program as efficient and cost-effective as possible. People will do the right thing if it's as easy to recycle as to throw it away. "

University Facilities Operations, which includes the Recycling Program, is responsible for collecting 55 percent of the 16,000 tons of Columbus campus waste and recyclables generated annually. The remainder is collected by private companies or the city of Columbus. In 2004, Ohio State recycled 2,501 tons of material: 15.71 percent of all the materials collected.

Every campus office should have containers for collecting a variety of materials. Mixed paper can begin its path toward recycling in small cardboard containers placed at individual desks. Faculty and staff must empty their deskside boxes into larger containers - Slim Jims - typically found near office copiers. Newspapers and books can be deposited into 96-gallon gray toters, typically placed near building entrances. Glass, metal and No. 1 and No. 2 plastic drink and other containers should be placed in 32-gallon beverage rounds, usually found in break rooms. Custodians will take flattened cardboard boxes to the loading dock for pickup.

Paper items that can't be recycled are tissues, paper towels, napkins or any paper contaminated by food and beverages.
Redman is working to ensure the appropriate containers are conveniently placed around campus. "I am going around to each building and taking inventory," she said.

Residence halls also are a top priority. "I would like to see every residence hall have a comprehensive recycling program," she said. "Some floors have recycling containers and some don't. It appears to be really inconsistent."

Redman is encouraging participation in Recycle Mania, a national competition that promotes recycling in residence halls. From January to April this year, Ohio State will compete for the fourth time against 45 other campuses in an effort to become the institution that recycles the most per student.

Redman is hoping to increase recycling efforts by purchasing additional containers for recycling collection. There is a new standard recycling container for public and classroom areas of buildings, and RPAC will be one of the first buildings to use the new bins.

The new containers have the design advantage of a door in the front. "We're trying to make the system as easy as possible for custodians," Redman said. "They are key to all of this. If the recycling containers are never emptied, then there's no place for students and staff to put their recyclables."

Recycling reduces the amount of waste going to landfills. Recycled white paper can be used, among other things, to make newspaper; recycled newspaper can be used for toilet paper or paper towels. Cans can be turned into cans again; plastic bottles return to use as everything from vests to food containers. Ohio State's recyclables are delivered to Smurfit Recycling in Columbus, which handles selling the materials.

"I think recycling makes a lot of sense and I'm a big supporter of it," said Redman, who helped the city of Upper Arlington start its communitywide recycling program in the 1980s. Professionally, she has had a 27-year career in solid waste management with the Ohio Environmental Protection Agency and the Franklin County Board of Commissioners, where she worked to organize the Solid Waste Authority of Central Ohio, and later, served as its director of planning and program development.

"One of my personal goals is to help Ohio State develop a really good recycling program," she said.

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