SCC Improves Environment through Recycling Program

1/25/08

Shawnee Community College is going blue. During the fall semester, the college was awarded a $54,217 grant from the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity to improve campus recycling efforts. The college is going "blue" by placing blue recycling containers across the campus and in each office to promote recycling. The community college honor fraternity Phi Theta Kappa students are spear-heading this effort by promoting the program and creating fliers.

The college has purchased two bailers with the grant money to easily reduce the size of all recycled goods on campus. The college also purchased portable collection trailers to transport the recycling materials to the processing center on campus. Currently in Phase I of the recycling program, SCC concentrating on recycling paper products, including white paper, newspaper, paper towels and all shredded documents at the college. In the future, the college will implement additional phases to encompass plastic and glass.

The Truck Driver Training program is also assisting with the transportation of recycled goods. The students are hauling 1,200 lb. bails to a recycling center in Carbondale.

Associate Vice President of Economic Development Ron Duncan is overseeing this program. He is a firm believer in reusing as many materials as possible. "Recycling not only reduces the amount of trash in a landfill, but also reduces elements contributing to global warming and is therefore better for our local environment," Duncan said.