Here at Edinboro University, recycling is made accessible to everyone.
Recycling bins can be seen standing guard at the entrance to every building. These same bins line the hallways accompanied by their trash counterparts.
They are available in the dorms, classrooms, teacher's lounges, and department offices to name a few. But what about off campus?
Is recycling made available to students living in complexes near campus, or how about those that live quite far from the school?
Some rental properties like College Park provide their tenants with access to both trash and recycling dumpsters.
Smaller properties rented out by individuals rather than business, often give the tenant the responsibility of purchasing their own trash bins.
This responsibility leaves the option of whether to recycle up to the individual.
Before considering whether to recycle please review the following facts provided by the Environmental Protection Agency.
-Recycling one ton of paper saves 17 mature trees, 7,000 gallons of water, three cubic yards of landfill space, two barrels of oil, and 4,100 kilowatt-hours of electricity - enoughenergy to power the average American home for five months.
-Recycling one aluminum can saves enough energy to run a 100-watt lightbulb for 20 hours, a computer for three hours,or a TV for two hours.
-Between 1960 and 2007 the amount of waste each person creates has almost doubled from 2.7 to 4.6 pounds per day.
-Recycling protects and expands U.S. manufacturing jobs and increases U.S. competitiveness.
-Recycling helps sustain the environment for future generations.
Both recycling and compost bins can be obtained at the Edinboro Municipal Building during their normal hours of operation Monday through Friday 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Recycle bins cost $4 and compost bins $10. It is highly recommended that residents spray-paint their addresses on these containers.
Recycling is picked up every Monday morning except for holidays. In this scenario it will be picked up on Tuesday mornings.
In accordance with ordinance number 506 chapter 20-24, residents are advised to place their recycling on the curbside no earlier that 5 p.m. the day before pickup.
The same ordinance states that all waste containers must be returned to the property building line before 7 p.m. the day of pickup.
The Borough of Edinboro provides its inhabitants with an option called "single stream recycling."
This newly implemented process allows all recyclable items to be placed in one bin. This includes: glass, plastic, paper and aluminum.
Although "bundling" is not required they ask that any loose materials that could potentially blow away be secured.
Residents are reminded to remove caps, lids, and food waste from their recyclables.
When asking project/recycling coordinator for the Borough of Edinboro Victoria Coffin, if recycling has improved since the introduction of "single stream" recycling she replied, "Yes, people are responding, it is a lot easier for them [to recycle] when all items can go together. We are seeing an increase in tonnage of recyclables from one year to another."
Items such as bottle caps, lids, hardbacked books, phonebooks and any item containing a number different than the standard 1, 2 ,3, 4, 5, 6 and 7 are not to be included in the single stream recycling bins.
The borough asks residents not to place the following in the single stream recycling bins: aluminum trays or foil, aerosol cans, automotive parts, batteries, broken glass, light bulbs, Styrofoam, wood and motor oil. These items are not recyclable.
To see a complete listing of the items that can and cannot be recycled, please visit www.edinboro.net and click on the "Recycling" link.
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