FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

• When the big white truck empties the white and green collectors are they mixing the recycling materials with the trash?

• What kind of paper is recyclable?

• What plastic items can be recycled?

• Where does the material from the green collectors (solid waste) go?

• Where does the recycled paper and cardboard go?

• What does ‘close the loop’ mean?

• What recycling practices should I, as a student at UW-L, employ?

• What recycling practices should I, as a staff member at UW-L, employ?

• What happens to the money that is generated from UW-L recycling?

• Why should I take the time to reduce, reuse, and recycle?

I saw that the driver of that big white truck empty the paper recycling collectors (the white collectors) yesterday, and today he emptied the trash collectors (green collectors) into the truck.  Is the recycled paper getting mixed with the trash and all of our recycling efforts being wasted?

 During the year 2002 the University decided that it was most economical to start loading and hauling our own recycled paper, as well as continuing to load and haul our solid waste.  As a cost saving measure the large white compactor truck, that is operated by University personal, will load and haul recycled paper (white collectors) on one day, deliver this material to Waste Management of La Crosse, then on the same day start the solid waste/trash route that delivers this material to the Xcel Energy Refuse Derived Fuel Facility.  It is possible that a person may observe the same truck emptying the white collectors and the green collectors at the same location on the same day.  This material, paper recyclables and trash, is not mixed together.

What kind of paper is recyclable?

 UW-La Crosse has a system of recycling mixed paper.  Sometimes paper recycling programs are limited to recycling office paper since it is the most profitable to recycle.  UW-L has found that this practice may be capable of making more money, but is also prone to inefficiency.  Whole loads of paper recycling can be rejected due to contamination of other forms of paper.  Mixed paper recycling does not retrieve the same amount monetarily, but is more efficient in what it aims to do: recycle the largest amount of materials for reuse.

Did you know?  Producing 1 ton of paper from recycled pulp saves 17 trees, 3 cubic yards of  landfill space, and 7000 gallons of water.  It also reduces air pollutants by 60 pounds, saves 390 gallons of oil, and conserves 4200-kilowatt hours of energy—enough to heat a home for half a year.

Here is a list of types of paper either acceptable or unacceptable for UW-L’s recycling program. 

Printable Paper Recycling Program word document

What plastic items can be recycled?

Printable Plastic Recycling Program word document

Where does the material from the green collectors (solid waste/trash) go?

 The material from the green collectors, which should be non-recyclable trash, is delivered to the Refused Derived Fuel Facility (RDF) on French Island in the City of La Crosse. The County of La Crosse has a contract with Xcel Energy for the operation of this waste-to-energy facility. Generally, all waste which is not recycled and less than four feet in all dimensions and less than 100 pounds in weight is required to go to the waste-to-energy facility on French Island before being stored at the landfill complex.  This waste material is sorted and then mixed with wood and burned to create electrical energy for use by the county.

Material that is sorted out at the RDF is delivered to the sanitary landfill that is operated by the County of La Crosse.  The county provides oversight of a landfill complex which includes: sanitary landfill, ash monofill, construction and demolition landfill, clean wood waste processing, and yard waste disposal. 

Where does the recycled paper and cardboard go?

This material is delivered to Waste Management of La Crosse who does some preliminary sorting of material and then ships it to Fort Howard, Wisconsin for further sorting and recycling.

What does “close the loop” mean?

In addition to collecting recyclables, we must be sure that recyclable materials are used to manufacture new products and materials.  Lastly, products made with recycled materials must be purchased (called “closing the loop”).  This process is reflected in the recycling symbol’s three chasing arrows. When purchasing new products look for materials and supplies that contain recycled content. 

What recycling practices should I, as a student at UW-La Crosse, employ?

 RESIDENCE LIFE STUDENTS at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

During the semester: Place a brown paper bag or cardboard box in your room.  Use it to dispose of paper that is recyclable.  Also, use the recycling container in your room for recycling aluminum, tin, glass, and #1 and #2 plastic.  Then, when you go out to the collectors, your recyclables are already separated.  The white collectors are for paper products.  The tan collectors are for glass, tin, and aluminum.  The green collectors are for waste materials.

Move-in: During move-in, seven (7) large collectors will be distributed amongst the residence halls.  These collectors will be available solely for cardboard recycling.  It is extremely important that these cardboard collectors do not become contaminated with other materials.  Please collapse the cardboard and leave it outside the collector.  Student staff will be making rounds and placing cardboard in the collectors.

Move-out: During move-out seven (7) roll-off dumpsters will be distributed for the purpose of collecting materials that cannot be recycled. These materials will be going to the landfill, so please make sure you are unable to donate, repair, or sell them before disposing of them.  Again, please make sure that these dumpsters are not contaminated with other materials. Place items such as broken furniture in these brown roll-off dumpsters.  Do not place trash bags or recyclable materials in these brown roll-off dumpsters.  Scrap wood should be placed next to the roll-off dumpsters where the wood will be collected for re-use by University maintenance personnel.

OFF-CAMPUS STUDENTS at the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse

If you are a student or staff member living off-campus, talk to your landlord about recycling and solid waste procedures.  If you believe more should be done, express genuine interest or concern in improvements being made.  If you live in an apartment complex, speak with other tenants and try to make it a group effort. 

You can find information about recycling and solid waste management by contacting any of the following agencies:

City of La Crosse, Recycling
La Crosse County, Solid Waste
Town of Shelby
Town of Campbell
City of Holmen
City of Onalaska

What recycling practices should I, as a staff member at UW-La Crosse, employ?

 If you are a staff member, please deposit recyclable materials in the designated containers within your building that are located on every floor of every academic building.  Also, find a cardboard box and label it as a paper recycling container for your office.  This will alert custodians that the contexts of the box need to be placed in the white paper collectors outside the building.  Print out the information regarding recyclable paper products and attach it to your cardboard box to remind yourself to recycle paper products.

All floors of all academic buildings have recycling stations that will accept the following items for recycling: paper, glass, tin, aluminum, and #1 and #2 plastic.

All computer labs should have barrels for the collection of recycled paper, if you encounter a lab without a paper recycling barrel ask the attendant to call the Recycling Coordinator at 785-8581 and request that a barrel be delivered.

Encourage your students to recycle, and set the example!

What happens to the money that is generated from recycling?

Any funds generated from recycling goes back into the program to help pay for recycling collectors and student help positions.

Why should I take the time to reduce, reuse, and recycle? 

• It saves natural resources.

The R’s aid in reducing the amount of virgin materials used to make  products. Invasive procedures like harvesting trees or mining, which have long-term environmental impacts, are thus limited.

• It prevents environmental problems that come from landfills.  Today, they are more effective than in the past, though they still pose a threat to contaminating groundwater and releasing dangerous gases.  Until we are able to find a suitable alternative, reducing our consumption of unneeded materials is vital to community health.
   

• It saves energy.

The making of products and materials require huge amounts of energy.  Obviously, reducing and reusing materials when possible saves energy.  Additionally, using recycled materials instead of virgin ones saves a monumental amount of energy.

• It prevents pollution.

  Most manufacturing processes use water and release wastewater and air emissions into the environment.  The 3 R's help to reduce manufacturing pollution.
   

• It saves money.  Reusing materials saves money that would otherwise be spent purchasing more products.  Also, smart shopping habits can help reduce the amount of waste your produce.