WCU Recycling, Did You Know?
- We now accept all types of plastic, not just plastic #1 & #2. This change is also in effect for all Jackson County recycling services. Please be patient with us as we get correct labeling on our bins. Right now, many of them say Glass, Aluminum, Plastic #1 & #2, so please ignore.
- As always, we can co-mingle glass, aluminum and plastic together. No need to separate and they are usually found in common areas or hallways.
- The same goes for paper. It can all be mixed together and is collected in smaller bins usually located in centralized office areas or near copiers.
- If there are food and/or liquid residue on the recyclable item that is ok. It no longer has to be discarded because of a contaminants or food particles.
- This year we introduced our first permanent outside recycling bins! Thanks to a grant from NC Dept. Environment & Natural Resources (NCDENR), we now have several attractive containers in the Central Plaza area. We have received feedback indicating they are a huge hit. They are made of stone and match our standard for outside waste receptacles. Just look for the blue recycle symbol emblazoned on the side.
- This month we will be adding new bins to collect all types of printer cartridges/toners and small electronic equipment (cell phones, digital cameras, laptops, iPods, GPS, etc.). Bins will be located in Courtyard Dining, University Center, WCU Bookstore, Hunter Library IT Commons and the Residence Halls. Please note: This is for personal items only. University owned electronic devices must be surplused by IT.
- Our food slop collection program, started in 1974, has a long history at WCU. All of our food scraps from the Courtyard Dining RFoC is collected by a hog farm in Haywood County and used as feed. They get 90% of their feed supply from us so this helps support a small, local business. On average we have divert about 17,000lbs of waste per month, that’s about 76 tons of food during a fall and spring semester. Food waste is heavy and we have saved several thousand dollars in landfill fees over the years.
- All of our waste oil from Dining Services is now collected by Blue Ridge Biofuels. This is a local, small business that uses a waste product to produce biodiesel and home heating oil. They sell to local customers and pump stations in our area. They have displaced over 1,000,000 gallons of petroleum since Jan. 1, 2005.
Have you hugged your Housekeeper or thanked the Grounds staff recently? Our recycling program would not be possible without the diligent efforts of these people that collect all waste inside and outside the buildings. It is often a thankless job and we need to let them know we appreciate all the work they do to keep our campus looking beautiful. Over the years our recycling volumes have steadily increased making this task more challenging.