Recycling program popular

Just because something is old and worn out doesn’t mean it doesn’t have a future.

More Lawrence residents are learning that not all of their discarded materials should end up in a landfill. In fact, about 30 percent of the waste generated annually in Lawrence is being recycled, according to estimates by the Lawrence Waste Reduction and Recycling Division.

That recycling rate is higher than the national average and higher than the state of Kansas, said Molly Mangerich, operations supervisor for the recycling division.

“We have a targeted approach to waste diversion, and it’s working pretty well,” Mangerich said.

That approach has resulted in collection of more than 8,000 tons of material in 2001, saving the city a disposal cost estimated at more than $156,000.

The city’s recycling program targets waste such as grass clippings and leaves, old newspapers and magazines, brush, corrugated containers, used motor oil and brushy wood, just to mention a few.

For example, there are seven city-sponsored drop boxes for newspaper recycling located throughout Lawrence. In 2001, 950 tons of paper were collected and recycled.

The city’s Parks and Recreation Department has a forestry facility at 11th Street and Haskell Avenue where it provides drop-off wood chipping service. People can drop off their brush each Saturday from April through November.

Last year an estimated 456 tons of chipped materials were received at the forestry facility, resulting in avoided disposal costs of $8,732, city officials said.

KU recycling mode

Kansas University also is in the recycling mode. Handled by the Department of Environmental Stewardship, a campus recycling program started in 1996 has steadily expanded. There are about 60 drop-off recycling locations in campus buildings.

“Student living groups and scholarship halls have really been involved in recycling,” said Victoria Silva, department director. “Students are really concerned about the environment.”

Headquartered in a house at 1043 Ind., Environmental Stewardship handles collections of recyclable material on campus such as newspapers, plastic bottles and cans.

Silva has up to a dozen students working for her department assisting with collection of waste sorting of recyclables. They are paid and the department is funded by the KU Student Senate. Earlier this year, the senate doubled the amount of funding, from a dollar to two dollars per student enrolled at KU.

In addition, enough students have volunteered to participate in the recycling program that waste collection can be done on each floor of a residence hall, Silva said.

At KU scholarship halls, recycling and waste collection are incorporated within the various chores performed by students, Silva said.

‘Feather in our cap’

This year Lawrence earned special recognition for its recycling efforts when it received the Environmental Excellence Award from Bridging the Gap, a Kansas City, Mo., agency that encourages waste prevention.

“That is quite a feather in our cap,” Mangerich said.

The city also is expanding its recycling efforts, such as collection of yard waste. The city’s Solid Waste Division has provided a separate collection service for grass clippings and leaves from residences on Mondays from about March to near Christmas.

That is expanding to include sticks, twigs and branches,” Mangerich said.

The city of Lawrence has a variety of waste collection or drop-off services and times for when they take place. Information about those programs can be obtained by calling the Waste Reduction and Recycling Division, 832-3030

There also is an Web site www.lawrencerecycles.org. A list of sites for recycling or disposing of items such as computers is included on the site.

KU’s Environmental Stewardship office can be reached by calling 864-2855.

Area residents also can take recyclable items to the Wal-Mart Recycling Center, near the Wal-Mart store at 3300 Iowa. Among the items accepted are newspapers, magazines, various types of plastic bottles, glass, steel cans and plastic bags.

The Wal-Mart center is open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Sunday.

Another location is Lonnie’s Recycling, 501 Maple. The business takes junk autos, scrap iron, machinery, aluminum cans and copper. It is open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday and 8 a.m. to noon on Saturday.