Campus organization hopes to improve recycling efforts

Melissa Cook
Contributing Writer

The average university student in America produces an average of 670 pounds of solid waste per year, according to studies conducted by Cornell University and the University of California at Los Angeles
The University of West Florida's Student Environmental Action Society is trying to change the wasteful ways of campus disposal by building the infrastructure to a new recycling system that creates less waste and actually makes a profit from recyclable goods.
Currently, there is a large bin for recycling outside the residence halls and near the water tower on campus, but there is no program for recycling aluminum cans and plastic bottles generated from vending machines, the Argo Grill and Gameroom, the cafeteria and the campus bookstore.
“ SEAS did a waste audit for the campus residence halls, or basically 'dumpster dove,’ to determine how much on-campus garbage being thrown out was actually recyclable,” said Dave Robau, director of recycling operations for SEAS. “As it turns out, about half of what is being thrown out is actually recyclable material.”
To cut down on what is being hauled away as waste, SEAS hopes to put four-slot recycling bins at six locations around campus, including areas where there are vending and food service. These four slot bins will be made of 100 percent recyclable plastic and will have a compartment for paper and cardboard, glass and plastic, aluminum, and garbage.
The bins will be placed in the central area of the building, and all garbage cans will be removed so that everyone must go to the main bin for dumping waste or recyclable items. In addition, SEAS would also like to place 3-slot bins, lacking a garbage slot, in all of the residence halls.
“ By putting trash and recycle bins next to each other, people will be more likely to put things in the right bin and not just throw away recyclable products,” Robau said.
The Florida Department of Environmental Protection tracks how much waste universities in Florida produce, and UWF is in the bottom third for tonnage of goods recycled. The University of Florida is ranked No.1 in the state for recycling materials, but the school has a lot more funding than smaller universities such as UWF.
“ President Cavanaugh supports what SEAS is trying to accomplish, but there are no University funds available for him to grant us,” said Josephine Rios, SEAS president. “The University will benefit from this program more than our organization will, and they would like to see it happen.”
To make a recycling program at UWF happen, about $9,000 is needed up front to purchases the bins, and a part-time student position for about $7.50 per hour might need to be created to empty the bins on a regular basis. SEAS has submitted a grant request to both the Environmental Protection Agency and FDEP asking for funding to purchase the bins. The organization has not heard a response yet, but they remain hopeful because of the fact that their recycling program would divert large quantities of trash from the Perdido Landfill, which is filling up more quickly each year because of construction and growth in Escambia County.
SEAS asked the Student Government Association for roughly $700 to implement a campus-wide recycling awareness and education campaign, but the SGA only gave a total of $15. Because the SGA has to split money available among so many different mediums, SEAS members ended up having to purchase materials for the campaign with their own funds and were not able to accomplish the campus-wide awareness they had hoped for.
To generate some funds, SEAS plans to sell all-recycled aluminum to the county or a private vendor for 50 cents per pound. According to Buffalo Rock, if only half of the aluminum cans purchased on campus were recycled, this would still generate a $2,200 profit a year.
“ If SEAS takes that money generated and puts it back into a scholarship for the student who truly resembles what SEAS is all about — environmental awareness — then it might help students to have more ownership of the program,” Rios said.
Rios said that if this award is created, she would like to see it go to a student from any discipline that demonstrates what the University’s mission statement stands for and achieves academic excellence, as well as shows concern for on-campus environmental conditions.
Robau said it is not profitable for SEAS to try to sell the plastic, glass and paper products because it is too much work to separate it all, and there is nobody willing to do it. To have larger bins that already keep all of the products separate would take up a lot more space and cost more money.
“ At Perdido Landfill, we have the means and the manpower to separate the recyclable materials,” said Jim Howes, chief of recycling for the county. “We already empty the University’s existing bins as many times per week as needed, even though we are not getting paid to do so.”
In the future, SEAS would like to apply for an Innovative Grant through the county, which would enable them to pay for the paid student position. The only problem with the grant is that it is a matching grant, and the University has not expressed the ability to match the funds SEAS would need.
“ Obtaining the Innovative Grant is a very difficult task,” Howes said. “If SEAS is able to get funds to buy the recycling containers, then the University has to step up and budget for their maintenance. The custodial services at the University should be able to empty the recycling containers on a regular basis.”
Pensacola as a community does not have residential curbside recycling. Howes said community surveys show that some residents are not interested in paying a fee for this kind of service. Informing the community of the need to recycle is a slow process and requires showing people what kind of benefits they will gain both ecologically and economically.
“ UWF has a responsibility to educate the future of Pensacola,” Robau said . “A large portion of students who graduate from this school will one day work in Pensacola, and the more of them that recycle, the longer our landfills will last.”