New Recycling Program: Toner and Ink Jet Cartridge Recycling

The Missouri S&T Recycling Committee, along with the cooperation Corporate Express, have now made it as easy as ever to recycle your empty laser toner and ink jet catridges. This new program begins January 9th and will allow faculty, staff, and students the ability to recycle empty toner and ink jet cartridges that are used on the campus. There are four convenient locations on the campus for you to drop off your empty cartridges.

• Curtis Laws Wilson Library,
• Missouri S&T Bookstore located in the Havener Center,
• Mail Services - located on the ground floor of the Campus Support Facility,
• University Center Room #102

There will be flyers distributed in high traffic areas that will be advertising this new program. Please do your part to recycle these empty cartridges as well as other items that are collected on the campus.

In 2007 Missouri S&T collected and recycled 1,014 toner cartridges.

**Note: Epson brand ink jet cartridges are not included in the recycling program**

Recycling Tip: Old Cell Phones

While Missouri S&T participates in recycling activities on the campus, the Environmental Health and Safety Office fields questions from time to time about other items to recycle. The proper disposal of old cell phones seems to be a re-occurring issue for some on the campus. Missouri S&T recycles old cell phones that are property of the campus. However, Missouri S&T cannot accept personal cell phones or cell phone batteries. There are several locations in the Rolla area that will take your old cell phone so it will not end up in a landfill or incinerator. For more information about the collection areas in Rolla, the potential hazards and proper disposal of old cell phones, please visit www.call2recycle.org

Aluminum Cans

There are large blue plastic receptacles located at the entrance to every building on campus. These receptacles are for aluminum cans. They are recycled by many Missouri S&T departments and student organizations. Aluminum is typically donated; therefore, the total volume of aluminum recycled each year is unknown. The residence halls typically, independently recycle greater than 4,000 pounds of aluminum cans each year. The residence halls are also collecting and recycling glass bottles, plastic bottles and newspaper, however, the total volume recycled is unknown.

Additionally, Missouri S&T continues to compost and reapply to their grounds 95% of all campus lawn waste.

Don't throw it all away . . . Recycle!

Why Recycle?

Americans generate about 222 million tons of trash annually. On average, each one of us generates 4-5 pounds of trash daily. When we send all of this waste to landfills, they fill up quickly. Therefore, recycling has become an important part of our waste management system. By recycling a significant portion of our waste, we save landfill space and get the following benefits in the process:

Recycling helps conserve natural resources (trees, water, metals, oil, coal) that are used in the production of new products.

Recycling helps reduce the demand for energy. Less energy is required to produce products from recycled materials than with virgin materials. Twenty (20) aluminum cans can be produced from recycled aluminum using the same energy required to produce one (1) aluminum can from virgin materials. That's a 95% energy savings!

Since less energy is used, less polution is produced. Many industries burn fossil fuels (coal, oil) for energy. Burning coal produces sulphur dioxide, which is one of our biggest and worst air pollutants.