Recycling in the Dorms

“Great in theory, poor in practice,” Nicole Cate said in regards to the recycling program in the Residence Hall.

Last year, the recycling program in the dorms was shut down due to students mixing their trash in with the recyclables. Now thanks to Student Environment Awareness Society, it is back, but students are not thrilled that they are not getting everything they have been promised such as individual suite recycling bins. Unfortunately, only the first and second floors of the RHO have received them.

“The bins in the room would make things easier,” Susan Wanner, a RHO resident, said.

SEAS has partnered up with Waste Services, Inc. They pick up the most recycling items in the city. WSI is also providing free pick up and free bins for the RHO. The dorms are not the only recycling program that has begun this semester. The City of St. Petersburg has joined together with WSI and started a curbside recycling pick up. This has caused a shortage of bins.

When the program was originally cancelled petitions were sent around the dorms to try and get it back. According to SEAS, only three-fourths of the dorm residents signed the petition. Chris Hastings, the Repower America Campus Coordinator and SEAS Campaign Director, took it and a 30 page proposal to various committees including Student Government, but nothing really came from it at the time.

With the new year and the new program, recycling brochures were passed out to all residents and recycling in the dorms has gotten easier, even with the lack of personal bins.

“There are at least three bins on every floor,” Stephanie Lawler, President of SEAS. “They are for glass, plastic, aluminum, paper, and cardboard.”

Recycling rangers are volunteers in the dorms. They are headed by Kate Dworsky, who is also the seventh floor resident assistant. Her job in the dorms is to collect the bins and make sure it is not contaminated with too much garbage. They empty the bins and sort it into the bins that are picked up by WSI. She was not available for a comment.

University of South Florida St. Petersburg saves about $2,000 per year. This is because recycling pick up is free, but the school does pay for trash pick- up. Recycling is campus wide, but there are some restrictions on where bins can be placed. For example, bins in the library need to be placed by the restrooms so they are not considered an eye sore.

If recycling is well received, SEAS is going to try and get other recycling programs started as well.

“We want to also recycle ink cartridges, batteries and cell phones,” said Lawler.

According to Lawler, recycling ink cartridges can be used as fundraisers to raise money. Batteries should not be thrown in the garbage because they can cause long term pollution. Collecting used cell phones can be donated to women’s abuse shelters.

“I like recycling and I think it is good for the environment,” Lexi Parr, a student assistant in the RHO, said.