11/24/99
ATHENS, Ohio -- Ohio University has added discarded food items from students' refrigerators to its innovative recycling program that already leads state universities in recycling, exceeding the state mandate by 25 percent.
Ohio University recycles 40 percent of its waste, more than any other public university in Ohio, according to a report published recently by the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Division of Recycling and Litter Prevention. Miami University was second, recycling 35 percent of its waste. The largest public university, Ohio State University, recycles 20 percent of its waste, according to the report.
Ed Newman, refuse and recycling manager for the university, initiated a new program this month, placing containers in residence halls to recycle food thrown out by students at the end of each quarter. The plan was working well this week as students were taking final examinations and preparing to leave residence halls for the winter break from Thanksgiving to New Year's Day.
"We are trying to get people involved by putting the food in a recycling bin in the lobby instead of just throwing it away," Newman said. "Students are doing an excellent job of putting out nonperishables -- canned goods, oatmeal, cereal, popcorn, granola bars, macaroni and cheese. We want to distribute the food to those who need it."
Henry Woods, refuse and recycling supervisor, said about 4,000 pounds of food has been picked up by recycling crews and redistributed to organizations that help the needy. The Albany Tutoring Center; the Hurricane Mitch Relief project, which sends food to Honduras; Good Works Inc. and the Gathering Place are among the organizations receiving the recycled food.
The university's recycling program has been a leader in the state for years, according to Larry Cooper, recycling programs coordinator for the Ohio Department of Natural Resources Office of Recycling and Litter Prevention.
"Ohio University is one of the top programs in the state if not the best," Cooper said. "Ed Newman is like a kamikaze, he'll go through walls to recycle."
The residence and dining halls account for more than 70 percent of the waste generated on campus and Newman has placed a recycling bin for paper, cans, bottles and other items in each of the more than 4,000 rooms in the 40 residence halls on campus.
"What I am trying to do is to get a recycling unit by every resident and work station on campus," Newman said. "If you can't get it to where the stuff is generated, then it is not as likely that somebody is going to go further to recycle than they are to throw something away. If you can put a bin in the same location, they are more likely to recycle."
Newman said exposure to the recycling bins on campus is educational for students.
"Availability and convenience are good educational tools," he said. "In the residence halls, each container has a recycling label right on it that people can see every day if they are looking."
Newman also is targeting construction and demolition waste for recycling. Wood, brick and concrete are among the materials that can be recycled.
"I am trying to get at all the construction, renovation and demolition projects on campus because that comprises a whole new realm that we want to target," he said.
Last year, more than 200,000 pounds of scrap metal were collected and recycled and more than 200 large wooden storage pallets are recycled every two weeks. As part of another new initiative, used and worn carpets are being recycled.