Green PSU

Myths:

Truth:

Resources

Recycling and Composting

http://www.green.psu.edu/recycling

http://www.green.psu.edu/composting

Report Energy Waste

http://www.opp.psu.edu

(click the red button)

1. Recycling means more to collect!

2. Not recycling is cheaper than recycling.

3. We have plenty of landfills, we don't need to recycle.

4. Someone goes through the garbage and sorts it for us.

5. Incineration is safe for us these days, let's burn it for electricity.

6. It costs too much to Recycle!

Get Involved

http://www.green.psu.edu/youCanDo/greenTeams.asp

Buy recycled and recyclable products whenever possible

Since we have plenty of landfills Recycling isn't important?

Where does a Starbuck's or Pete's Paper cup go?

a. Paper bin c. Plastic bin e. Compost

b. Landfill bin d. Special pick-up

RECYCLING COSTS TOO MUCH?

Recycling has more benefits than reduced landfill use: Primarily the conservation of natural resources, reduced energy consumption, associated pollution and environmental impacts. Organic matter produces a greenhouse gas, Methane, when it breaks down -- that is if it does break down in a landfill! In contrast, recycling provides a beneficial stream of reusable materials and saves natural resources. Also, there is a decrease in land available for landfills and the cost to use them is increasing...hmmm!

Is it recyclable?

We CAN Recycle More!

Someone goes through the trash and pulls out the Recyclables before it goes into the Landfill?

B. Landfill. At the time of this writing, these cups contain a plastic liner that keeps the hot liquid from leaking and the cups are not recyclable. The best thing you can do is bring your own mug, which may also gain you a discount!

Well-run programs cost less than landfills and incinerators.

The more people recycle, the cheaper it becomes.

Recycling generates revenue to help pay for itself.

For every 1 landfill job, recycling produces 9 jobs.

Recycling and re-manufacturing industries account for approximately one million manufacturing jobs and more than $100 billion in revenue.

PSU currently recycles 58% out of the possible 88% of what can be recycled or composted on campus. This would mean another 4,500 tons of trash diverted from the Landfill each year!

Trash goes into Landfills. The labor to sort after mixing is prohibitive and almost never happens. "Source Separation" is the only feasible way -- which means sorting as part of the disposal process.

PSU is paying you to get up from your desk, take a short walk and recycle! Policy AD34 says so!

http://guru.psu.edu/policies/AD34.html

Incineration is Safe these days and you can burn trash for electricity?

E. All of the above. Anything that decomposes can go into compost at University Park. And, unlike your home compost, an industrial compost like Penn State's generates higher temperatures and can break down meat, bones and citrus into useful compost which is then used in landscaping to beautify the campus.

While it is true that some incinerators produce electricity, it is not without impact. Reusing or reducing is a more efficient way of handling material. Incineration produces air pollution.

A clear "plastic" cup or utensils? (Hint: Look close, some are marked compostable!)

a. Compost bin c. Landfill bin e. Possibly all of the above

b. Plastic bin d. Terracycle

Where does your microwave dinner box go?

a. Compost

b. Special Pick-up

c. Mixed paper

d. Newsprint

e. Either Mixed Paper or Compost

Not to mention it is good for your health to take a walk.

Inactivity is the 4th leading cause of death!

http://tinyurl.com/caoo7z8

D. The battery bin. If your building does not yet

have a battery bin, you may request one from the Office of Physical Plant (OPP). If you have large batteries or a large number of batteries, you may call for special pick-up from OPP.

Not Recycling is Cheaper than Recycling?

Recycling means more Material to collect?

Which of these items can go into a compost bin at Penn State University?

a. Meat and bones

b. Chewing gum and tea bags

c. Toothpicks and wood stirrers

d. Wet paper towels, soiled tissues

e. All of the above

E. Either mixed paper or compost.

Paper food boxes, like microwave

dinner boxes, typically go into mixed

paper. However, if it is soiled, it

should go into compost.

E. Possibly all of the above. With plastics, it is important to look at the markings to see if it is #1-7 plastic, if it is compostable plastic, if it stretches (like a plastic grocery bag) or if the base is wider than the neck. All of these characteristics indicate a recyclable or compostable plastic. At this time, many yogurt containers and some plastic wrappers are recyclable through Terracycle, which will pay you or your cause money for sending them specific items. If none of these characteristics apply, the plastic may unfortunately just be landfill.

Recycling versus Disposal:

Consider transport costs: University Park pays the Centre County Solid Waste Authority (CCRRA) $70/ton to take the trash 102 miles to Somerset County at 3-5 miles/gallon (greenhouse gases are another issue!). This is compared to the $20/ton or $5/ton we currently pay to have the CCRRA process our recyclables, depending on whether recyclables are delivered in bags ($20) or loose ($5).

The same amount of waste is generated as with an all-disposal system. Recycled waste is separated into useful categories that can be reprocessed into usable goods.

What bin does a battery go into?

a. The Terracycle bin

b. The Trash can

c. The Landfill bin

d. The Battery bin

e. Call for special pick-up

Terracycle and Exotic

Metal Cans?

PAPER?

SIMPLE

Steps to Recycling

Glass?

If it is

Food?

Decays?

or Soiled?

Empty, Wipe or Scrape, if needed.

Identify materials and Bins. Deposit!

Soiled? or Clean?

Non-Recyclable?

Plastic?

Recyclable?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!

Compostable?

Labeled?

#1-7?

Stretchy?

Polystyrene!

(Styrofoam)

LANDFILL!

YES!

Landfill:

Coated Glass (e.g. lab glass, auto/home window glass) are not typically recyclable. Light bulbs may be via special pick-up.

Polystyrene is NOW recyclable!

You will find bins in dining halls where Polystyrene is used.

Compost it!

ONLY IF

your item does not fit into ANY

of these categories,

THEN

deposit in the Landfill bin.

Corrugated

Cardboard!

HERE!

Specialty items:

Batteries

Florescent Light tubes

CDs, DVDs, Cassettes

Hard cover Books

Technology items

#5 Yogurt containers!

Other metals

Packaging for Terracycle

Candy wrappers!

Glass

HERE!

MUST

be Clean!

Mixed Paper!

HERE!

BUT??? Pizza box is mixed?

Plastic

HERE!

Empty and Dry

No need to Crush

Clean and Dry Aluminum Foil too!

Special pick up for UNempty aerosol and paint cans!

Metal Cans

HERE!

Plastics # 1-7 and Stretchy

go in the plastic bin.

Compostable plastics go in the compost bin.

Low Quality

paper or newsprint!

HERE!

WET?