Already believed to be the state's top city for recycling waste, Lawrence officials say recycling here continues to build steam.
Last year, they say, more than 10,000 tons of trash were diverted from the landfill, and the amount of trash recycled continues to grow.
Unloading recyclable materials into a semi-tractor trailer at the Kansas University West Campus accumulation site are, from front to back, Nikunj Bhakta, Kansas City, Mo., freshman, Kevin Copeland, Libertyville, Ill., senior, and Patrick Burns, St. Louis senior. The student recycling technicians bring recycled goods from the entire KU campus to the storage trailers.
Campus efforts
At Kansas University, which has its own recycling program, the amount of collected recycled materials nearly doubled in one year. In 1999 the university's Resource Conservation and Recycling department recycled 200 tons, a figure that rose to more than 350 tons last year.
"I think we have increased the level of awareness about recycling on campus, and we have a lot of student environmental groups who are interested in recycling, and some of them have taken a lead in supporting these programs," said Victoria Silva, the program's manager.
Campus groups, such as Environs, Student Environmental Advisory Board and others, have helped spread the word about recycling.
Silva said there are 50 large recycling centers on campus, each labeled for two grades of office paper, newspaper, and plastic or aluminum, depending on the vending machines in each building. She said she hopes to add a few more recycling locations and hire a few more part-time students to collect the materials this year.
"If we place more recycling containers out there, we know we would definitely get more materials," she said.
City efforts
The city of Lawrence also continues to expand its recycling programs.
This year the number of applicants for the citywide pickup of grass and leaf clippings tripled to 200 households, said Mollie Mangerich, operations supervisor with the city's waste reduction and recycling division.
Residents of the selected neighborhoods of Old West Lawrence, West Hills Homes, Deerfield and Hillcrest put their yard waste in biodegradable paper bags, which the city collects every Monday.
Mangerich said the material is put into a tub grinder and processed into fine pieces that are later turned into compost and used by the city.
This fall the department will move to a new 5-acre compost site at East 11th Street on the south side of the city's wastewater treatment plant. When the facility is up and running next spring, Mangerich said, the city will start collecting woody material, such as limbs and branches, and convert it into wood chips for use in city landscaping projects.
"There's a definite need and expressed interest by the public," said Mangerich, referring to the expanded program. "It's a wonderful product and it's silly to let it to go to waste."
Last year the city collected 6,881 tons of waste for recycling, including 5,206 tons of grass clippings and leaves; 790 tons of newspapers; and 510 tons of corrugated containers.
In all, the city has recycled about 30 percent of its waste for the last three years, a rate thought to be the best in Kansas and above the national average of 27 percent.
New conservation efforts include the collection of wooden pallets and wood waste from construction sites, and hazardous wastes from prequalified businesses.
Within city government, Mangerich said the city parks and recreation department is going to purchase recycled plastic lumber for benches and picnic tables. The city's fleet vehicles also are using re-refined motor oil this year.
"People are incorporating these recycled products into their everyday workplace," she said.
Drop-off centers
In addition to the city and KU, Lawrence's other major post-consumer recycling collector is Wal-Mart, 3300 Iowa. The store's eight-year-old community recycling center is becoming a popular place.
Last year 3,066 tons of recyclable materials was dropped off, compared to 2,484 tons in 1999 an increase of more than 20 percent.
By recycling 1,287 tons of newsprint, mixed paper and white office paper last year, Lawrence residents saved an equivalent of 21,884 35-foot-tall trees.
Ruth Becker, the center's green coordinator, said she thinks recycling rates are increasing because in many cases it's convenient to recycle.
"I know that it's part of [some people's] Saturday routine," she said. "But, the thing that is amazing to me is that recycling is intergenerational. It's not surprising to see grandparents with their grandchildren."
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