Recycling project: aluminum cans and plastic bottles

By Professor Allain Bourgoin

The Environmental Studies (SC-111) students initiated a recycling project at the National Campus during spring semester 2012. During a 10-week period, students collected 1,780 aluminum cans and 402 plastic bottles and delivered them to the Kolonia recycling center.

Since the Environmental Studies course was not offered during fall 2012, two work-study students were hired to manage the project. At that time, aluminum cans were bought for $.05 each. The project managers had to compete with children from around the National Campus neighborhood who visited the campus and collected cans from the receptacles. Besides picking up the cans, the children also took with them the plastic bags, which were placed inside the receptacles to ensure the cans remain clean. The recycling program is now facing another problem as people are treating the recycling receptacles as other trash bins. The program managers are now finding all kinds of garbage in the receptacles.

During spring 2013, the Environmental Studies students held a brainstorming exercise, which resulted with the suggestion to remove all recycling bins that were fastened to the huge trash containers outside the National Campus buildings. The recycling bins will be replaced by a number of small wire mesh containers. The new containers will be strategically placed around campus and fastened to rebar mounted into the ground. Currently, there are six (6) wire mesh receptacles with the recycling logo attached to each on them on campus. The Environmental Studies students constructed the wire mesh receptacles with the help of the office of Maintenance and Security staff.

The plastic recycling bins already distributed inside the buildings will remain in place for your recycling needs. If you wish for a plastic recycling bin to be placed in your work area, please inform Professor Allain Bourgoin at: allanb@comfsm.fm.

The Environmental Studies students are accountable for the maintenance of all recycling bins and for collecting statistical data on all collected items. The students will also need to develop strategies to create awareness relative to the recycling project at the National Campus.

Please discard aluminum cans and plastic bottles in the appropriate containers.

Wire mesh recycling bins placed outside buildings

Plastic recycling bins placed inside buildings

Thank you all for your support and encouragement in making this campus project a success.

Remember, each recycled items is one item less in the community landfill system.