TUSCALOOSA, Ala. — The numbers are in, and there’s a distinctively green trend to The University of Alabama’s recycling efforts.
During fiscal year 2008-2009, UA collected 885.8 tons of recyclables, an increase of more than 86 percent over the previous record of 475 tons recycled in 2007-2008.
The amount of cardboard, alone, recycled on campus grew to 257,771 pounds, a more than 97 percent increase from the 130,642 pounds recycled the previous year. Wood, grease, electronics, light bulbs and mattresses are newly added items to those which UA regularly recycles, said Tony Johnson, director of logistics and support services at UA.
Johnson credits increased awareness of the recycling program on campus and the expansion in the types of items UA recycles as the primary contributors to the growing numbers.
“The amount of material we are diverting from the landfill is a credit to student, faculty and staff involvement in the program. Everyone’s teamwork is really making a difference,” he said.
Sorted office paper is, by far, the most heavily recycled item on campus with 559,680 pounds of it collected during the latest fiscal year.
UA’s recycling efforts have grown significantly over the last decade. In 2000-2001, UA recycled 56 tons of materials.
For more information on UA recycling, see http://financialaffairs.ua.edu/admin/lss/recycle/.
Contact
Chris Bryant, media relations, 205/348-8323, cbryant@ur.ua.edu
Source
Tony Johnson, 205/348-8798, tjohnson@fa.ua.edu