Although Plastic & Aluminum make up only a small part of our waste stream on campus, about 8%, it is important to recycle them. Aluminum is a very valuable commodity and plastic is very voluminous in landfills. On a hot, sunny campus like ours, there are many drink containers being used.
What We Recycle
#1 PET drink bottles and aluminum cans can be recycled on campus.
How We Recycle
Containers are provided to building occupants. These are emptied by your friendly custodian, who leaves them in designated areas outside each building. Our staff then picks up the bags of aluminum and plastic, and transports them to our yard where they are stored. Our current vendor, Recycle America, picks up the bags once a week.
Where Does It Go?
Our aluminum and plastic is taken to the Recycle America yard at Prince and I-10 to be weighed, sorted, baled, and shipped. Aluminum goes from there to Anheuser Busch Recycling in St. Louis, MO where it is made into can sheet which is used to make new aluminum cans. Our plastic is sent to Wellman Inc. in Johnsonville, SC where it is made into polyester fiber for bedding, clothing, or carpet.
