By: Eric Norris
Recycling does not affect any of the students at Simpson University. The campus at Simpson has tons of recycling cans in every classroom, meeting hall, and dormitory. But not every recycling bin is met with the same fate.
Facility workers all around campus take care of the trash. Their job is to gather every full trash bag and place it in the dumpsters near the dorms. Those dumpsters are then moved to the front of the school where a garbage truck comes by early in the morning every three days to avoid pile ups. Long time facility worker, Caleb Gonzalez, said,
“I have only been tasked with collecting recycling a few times, but the job is frustrating to collect all the bins hidden around campus. The hardest part is separating the trash from recyclables.”
A big problem that prevents Simpson from recycling and making money from plastics is when recycling is mixed with non-recycling. Brian Jobson, the facilities coordinator, said,
“We do have separate recycling bins behind the cafeteria and library where we put recyclables. Unfortunately, what often happens is that people throw their trash in the recycling bins and when that happens, we usually must throw that bag in the trash.”
According to NWF.org, the average college student produces about 640 pounds of trash each year. An amount that can be reduced if trash is separated from what can be used to make other things. The issue at Simpson is teaching students what can be recycled and what can’t be recycled.
Items that can be thrown in the recycling bins at Simpson include plastic bottles, glass, and cardboard. The items that cannot be thrown in the recycling bins include Styrofoam containers, paper cups, and food.
For any questions, contact Brian Jobson, bjobson@simpsonu.edu
Comments