Statistics Suggest Falling Student Interest in Recycling Program

Author: Venessa Wong Staff Writer

As the boxy white Middlebury Recycling truck backs into the dimly lit recycling center behind McCullough Friday afternoon, two employees, emerge from the front seats to unload and sort through hundreds of bags of waste collected just that afternoon. "We only have two people on staff and about four reliable student workers," said Missy Beckwith, supervisor of the Material Recovery Facility/Recycling Program as she glanced determinedly at the new delivery that would keep her busy for the rest of the afternoon. "This is the lowest student staff we've had in years." Since 1996 the student staff at the recycling center has dropped consistently from approximately 21 workers, depending on the semester, to these four in 2001. This drop in employment seems to indicate a recent decrease in student interest in recycling and environmentalism. "Students just don't seem to really care anymore," commented Beckwith.

The dipping employment numbers are not the only indication that student interests are weakening. The amount of trash being recycled has steadily dropped since 1996, which was the center's peak of activity. The Middlebury College Waste and Recycling Annual Report shows that in the past two years, recycling rates between January and August have dropped from 61.3 percent in 1999 to 56.2 percent in 2001, a difference of 5.1 percent. The statistics also indicate, however, that for these months the amount being recycled in tonnage actually holds steady at approximately 1,250,000 pounds. This drop is explained by a divergence in the ratio of total consumption to total waste: while the total weight only increased 9.3 percent, the total amount of waste, which are non-recyclables and non-compostables, increased 23.6 percent.

"Consumption has increased, people waste more and don't separate as well as they used to," explained Beckwith. "We try hard, but I find we fight harder than we should … it's not fair to hold two people responsible for sorting through all other people's trash." In previous years employees at the recycling center sorted through trash for stray recyclable materials. However, with the notable drop in student help, the task grew unmanageable, especially with the increase in the amount of garbage produced. "We couldn't keep up. It took us three times as long to sort than to just handle the already sorted materials," Beckwith said.

Also, as student trash came in less sorted, employees grew uncomfortably cautious of the potential of mixed-in hazardous materials; tolerating the increasing disinterment of used tampons, condoms and milk containers full of urine from Saturday nights became grueling. "Students pay nearly $40,000 to come here. This is supposed to be a high-class college. Simple things like this have become a bottom priority though," Beckwith said.

Norm Cushman, assistant director for maintenance and operations, proposes several theories about why student interest in recycling has dropped. "I certainly think recycling doesn't have the same glamour as it used to. It was very popular in the 1990s but has fallen out of fashion."

Cushman also attributes recent developments to a stark decrease in recycling bins across campus. After an incident in 1997 in which a student set fire to a recycling bin, the Vermont State Fire Marshal restricted bins to designated areas in buildings and required that the campus only support bins with lids. "It's a minor factor, but students might find it inconvenient to take the time out to get to a bin, and then put their things down to lift the lid," said Cushman. "We're open to suggestions."

In illuminating the significance of recycling, he describes the financial profits on top of environmental benefits. According to Cushman, it costs the College $1.60 to send trash into the waste stream, $1.39 to recycle and 83 cents to compost. Furthermore, the College sends all its recyclables to Rutland and sells them to the highest bidder; all these profits supplement the recycling budget, which receives most of its funding from the College. "The problem thus is not a lack of funding from the school," commented Cushman, noting the large contribution made towards the construction of a new center. "We have enough money, but not enough employees."

The staff at the recycling center is excited for the opening of the new center next spring, which may help revive recycling on campus. The present center was borrowed from the campus Heating Plant 10 years ago. According to Beckwith, the center will include better facilities, new bailers with docks, and most importantly provide more room for sorting and storing. "We're hoping these new features will cut out inefficiencies."

The problem remains, however, of labor shortages. "Come work here!" advocates student employee Kelvin Tsang '04, who has been working at the recycling center since this summer. "The environment is actually something I really care about. Working at the center backs up a lot of the rhetoric."

"We're very laid back here," said Beckwith. "We just ask that our employees are responsible and come in on time." Shifts are available Monday through Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Students may choose to work those hours that best suit their schedules. More information about working for Midd Recycling is available on the Student Employment webpage at www.middlebury.edu/~seo.