Over the years, KU Recycling has taken on a variety of projects dealing with resource conservation and recycling. Here are a few of our accomplishments.

Residence Hall Recycling: KU Recycling has implemented a one-year pilot project in Hashinger Hall and Jayhawker Tower B aimed at increasing recycling residence halls. This project provides rooms with 2 small recycling containers to be emptied at sorting stations. Participants also receive educational materials, including sorting guidelines and information about how recycled materials are used. Funding through a grant from Coca-Cola has allowed for the purchase of 500 containers, labels, and a floor scale that will be used to monitor the effectiveness of this project.

Recycling Drop-Off: In order to better serve KU students and staff, we have recycling trailers available to drop off your recyclables from home. The trailer is located at the West Park & Ride Lot (Southwest Corner of Lot 302) off of 23rd Street.
Click here to see accepted materials and how to sort them.

Residence Hall Student Move In/Out: During the residence hall student move in/out in August/May, KU Recycling collects recyclable waste along with used clothing, non-perishable foods, and other reusable materials for redistribution among several local non-profit organizations. This program has been in existence for over four years on this campus and is in line with the mission of KU Recycling to promote the 3 R's: reduce, reuse, and recycle.

New Baling Equipment Purchased with Grant from KDHE: Thanks to a grant from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), the Environmental Stewardhsip Program purchased new baling equipment that will help make KU Recycling more efficient and allow for future expansion of other recycling services on campus. Click here for details.

Apartment Complexes: Outdoor containers have been placed at 2 locations in the Stouffer Place complex. These new stations will allow for the collection of mixed paper, newspaper, #1 plastic, #2 plastic, steel cans, and aluminum cans.

Outdoor Recycling Bins: Five sets of outdoor recycling bins were purchased to address the large number of newspapers and plastic bottles that are disposed of on campus. Each set consists of a 25-gal container for newspaper and a 25-gal container for #1 plastic, both made from recycled plastic. Units have been placed at Wescoe Hall, the Kansas Union, Carruth-O'Leary Hall, and at the intersection of 15th Street and Naismith Drive. An additional set will be placed near Robinson Center. Additionally, two recycling trailers have been purchased.

Deskside Recycling Pilot: Two new sorting centers were purchased, along with deskside containers for 3 of the floors in JRP (the 2nd floor had a sorting center that serviced the entire building). Faculty and staff on floors 2, 4 and 5 use deskside containers for recycling and empty them at the central sorting stations. If successful, ESP will consider expanding the deskside recycling approach to other buildings.

Earth Day: In April 2005, KU Recycling conducted a trash audit at Wescoe Hall.
Click here to learn about what we discovered and how it compared to the audit in 2004.

America Recycles: The Environmental Stewardship Program, Student Environmental Advisory Board, and KU Environs sponsored events to promote the "Three R's" - Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle.
Click here for more information.

Composting Pilot Project: In 1996, Resource Conservation and Recycling (RCR) proposed a pilot food waste composting project to help reduce food bills in scholarship halls and hopefully, reduce waste disposal costs. Facilities Operations and staff at the animal care facility agreed to work with RCR staff in January 1997, students in Douthart and Grace Pearson Hall diverted their food waste through 1998.
Click here for more information about this project.