Last year WSU generated a total of 824.82 short tons of waste. Of that waste, 137.82 short tons were recycled and the rest was sent to the landfill. Therefore, about 17% of WSU's waste was recycled. We can definitely do better than that!
Please help WSU increase its recycling rate. Click here to familiarize yourself with the list of materials you can recycle on campus. Materials can be recycled in the blue and purple bins (depicted below).
In addition to general recycling, WSU currently has the following waste reduction/recycling programs:
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Green waste recycling - WSU's Landscape Department purchased a chipper in the Fall of 2009 and is using it to mulch and recycle green waste on both the Ogden and Davis campuses. WSU is now composting about 163 short tons of green waste each year that would have otherwise ended up in the landfill.
- Electronics Recycling - Electronics are recycled as funds permit. The current cost for recycling electronics is about 50 cents per pound. Last year, WSU recycled 100 desktop computers and 225 CRT monitors.
- Materials processed through campus Property Control are made available to other departments or are sold to the community. Sending items such as desks, chairs, bookcases, etc. to the landfill is the last option.
- Many departments on both campuses are proactively engaging in printed media reductions; however, no official policies have been established requiring the reduction of printed media on campus.