GENERAL RECYCLING
Beginning January 22, 2007, contracted recycling services with Allied Waste were terminated, and WVU employees began collecting recyclables, which consist of paper, aluminum, plastic and cardboard. Most campus buildings are participating in the new program, and the remaining buildings will be supplied with materials (bins and trays) over the coming months. The volume is impressive, averaging ten tons of paper per week (summer numbers are slightly lower) and 150 pounds of plastic. Since the program began, WVU has recycled more than a ton of plastic bottles; considering that it takes 17 empty bottles to make a pound, this totals 34,000 bottles.
Aluminum amounts are not as impressive, simply because of the high dollar value of aluminum—the bags are either taken by individuals or organizations who sell aluminum for fundraising purposes, or the aluminum never gets into the bins. Still, we are seeing 40-50 pounds per week. The aluminum, plastic, and cardboard are donated to the Monongalia County Recycling Center, and the paper is taken to the SFK Pulp Paper Mill in Fairmont, WV. The recycling program also allows for the recycling of toner cartridges, fluorescent bulbs and electronic waste (computers, printers, fax machines, etc.).
WHERE DOES IT GO
WVU’s paper is taken to the SFK Pate Paper Mill in Fairmont, WV, where it is processed into pulp for paper re-manufacture. For more information on their processes, please visit their website at www.sfkpulp.com
Cardboard, plastic and aluminum are donated to the Monongalia County Recycling Center in Westover. For more information about what can and cannot be recycled in Monongalia County, please visit their website at www.moncoswa.org.
DOCUMENT AND BOOK DISPOSAL SERVCES
WVU Recycling Services provides a no-charge document clean-out and destruction service to all university departments. This includes confidential material and textbooks. To request a pick-up, please contact Barbara Angeletti at 293.2330, or via e-mail at Barbara.Angeletti@mail.wvu.edu.