Recycling Center Has New Facility and Tools

Author: Chelsea Coffin

Have you noticed the barn-shaped building near the modular homes? The building is home to the new Middlebury College Recycling Center, which has been up and running since last spring. "The facility is so much better than before," says Missy Paquette, Recycling Center coordinator.
The Recycling Center receives two to three truckloads of all discarded material, including trash and recycling, each day, and at least five truckloads on Mondays. Three full-time workers, seven student workers and several other part-time workers handle this heavy load.
A visual scan of the Recycling Center reveals nifty gadgets that enable the College to recycle 63 percent of its waste, according to figures from September 2002. A plastics baler compresses mixed plastics together and places straps around the bale to hold the plastic in place. A cardboard baler, monitored by an electric eye, munches large pieces of cardboard and squeezes them into manageable bales.
Similar contraptions condense metal cans and mixed papers. A glass crusher turns bottles into sand that can be used as filler in asphalt. A paper shredder eats through confidential documents from academic departments, the Office of Financial Aid and the Admissions Office. The recyclable materials are then sent to Rutland, where a middle agent sends the Center a check, and then finds a purchaser.
The Recycling Center also offers an impressive reuse trailer, attached to the main building by a loading dock. Although the reuse trailer is not as action-packed as the floor of the Center, the trailer houses used goods, from clothes to housewares to used books and school supplies. Middlebury students are always welcome to reclaim some of the items, and there is a lot of good material. Some of the clothes are also sent to the local nonprofit Addison County Community Action Group.
The many improvements in the new center indicate extensive planning that makes the facility far more comfortable for recycling workers, and that makes their job much easier. The building is better insulated to keep workers warmer during the winter months. When a truck unloads, a ventilation system automatically turns on to suck out the air saturated with exhaust fumes and pull in fresh air. An on-site bathroom and kitchen have been added, as well as more convenient trailer dock stations. There have also been changes around campus: The Recycling Center has removed dumpsters, and added new outdoor recycling containers at locations around the College.
The impressive undertaking of the Recycling Center's new $1.5 million facility is an integral part of the environmental mission of the College. Not only will this project save the College money, it also strives to save the environment as well. With all these efforts, Middlebury students should continue to make a difference by actively sorting their trash and recyclables. And if students have any questions about how to do that, just stop by the Recycling Center. Paquette and her brigade of students and staff are always happy to see a new face, especially someone who is interested in joining their recycling team. Students who wish to be involved should contact Paquette for more information.