The Sustainability Committee, Richmond Sanitary Service and Republic Services West County Recycling Center are collaborating with Buildings and Grounds to have more recycling bins around campus.

Building and Grounds Manager Bruce King said, “The Sustainability Committee installed recycling bins in the cafeteria this week. There have been more bins purchased, so there will be 50 gallon recycling bins outside every building on campus.”

There is not a problem with people leaving their trash or recycling laying around on campus, but the issue is trash and recycling gets mixed together because people throw recycling in the trash King said.

Republic Services West County Recycling Center works with more than 100 mills and manufactures, recycling materials to become new products and saving valuable natural resources.

Gateway to College student Kaylin Andrews said, “There aren’t enough recycling bins on campus. I’ve only seen one and that is by Admissions and Records. If there are more I don’t see them.”

Andrews said there should be more bins around campus, maybe more people would start recycling if there was better access to recycling bins

According to Republic Services, recycling is a vital process for turning used materials into new products and diverting waste from final disposal options that prevent further recovery or reuse.

Andrews said, “I sometimes throw away recycling in the garbage when there is no recycling bin close by but I try not to do it.”

King said, “There are 30 recycling bins lined up behind the AA Building ready to move. The Sustainability Committee’s meeting next Thursday will cover where the bins will be placed.”

Richmond Sanitary Service will be giving every class on campus a recycling bin, King said.

Gateway to College student Jacqueline Chavez said, “I throw my recycling in the garbage all the time, but if there were recycling bins next to all the garbage cans I would probably use them.”

“We would have a cleaner campus if there were more recycling bins on campus,” Chavez said.

According to www.republicservices.com there are more than 60 recycling centers nationwide, 100 plus partnerships and 200 pounds of recycling processed per second.

Chavez said, “Maybe enforcing recycling on campus may help with people who don’t recycle to start.”

“Signs could be helpful but people still may not pay attention to them so, I don’t think they will help,” Andrews said.

King said the main goal the Sustainability Committee, Building and Grounds, and custodians have is to be proactive with this situation.

“Recycling makes a difference because it’s a good example for citizens, the school, and community, we should all recycle to better our environment,” King said.