The $76,265 grant will be used to purchase new recycling bins and signs, and to fund an outreach and education campaign to increase recycling.
According to a 2011 waste stream characterization study of HSU, nearly 34 tons of bottles, cans and recyclable plastic containers end up in campus trash bins every year.
“This grant will help us keep recyclable materials out of the landfill by making recycling more convenient and less confusing for the campus community,” says HSU Sustainability & Waste Coordinator Morgan King.
HSU continues to be a leader in waste reduction and zero waste initiatives. This spring, the University won a UC/CSU/CCC Best Practices Award in Innovative Waste Reduction for its development and implementation of a food waste diversion program. As a result, approximately 17 tons of food waste per month now goes to a compost facility instead of a landfill as an interim solution until a regional biodigester is built by Humboldt Waste Management Authority. HSU has also transitioned to a “mixed recycling” system, where paper and mixed cardboard are recycled in the same bin as bottles, cans, and plastic containers #1-7.
The campus should expect to see new recycling bins and signs in higher traffic areas this fall, King says.