By Madelyn Alexander, Vallo Vision News
The University of Montevallo recently adopted new recycling protocols as a result of changes made at the Montevallo Recycling Center. These changes brought a significant increase in the total amount of recycled material in Montevallo.
Changes at the recycling center
According to data from Montevallo’s sustainability reports, the recycling center’s intake of materials more than doubled in 2021 compared to 2020, and is “incomparable to previous years.” As of Aug. 31, 2021, the recycling center had recycled 120.48 tons of materials since January 2021. In 2020, the city recycled 58.78 tons.
In addition to the 120.48 tons of recycled trash, 5.6 tons of donations were given to America’s Thrift Store and 5,162 lbs. of electronics were recycled. In total, Montevallo’s Recycling Center diverted 137.7 tons of trash from entering landfills between January and August 2021.
In the semi-annual report of April 2021, Montevallo reported changes made to the recycling center’s system in January of 2021. In partnership with Amwaste and Repower South Montgomery, the recycling center transitioned to a “single stream system.”
The new single stream system instructs residents to bring all recyclable materials to the compactor. Recycled materials now stay domestic, creating economic efficiency and job opportunities in the southeast. The new system is projected to save the city $13,000 in labor costs every year.
According to the semi-annual report, the significant increase in recycling “most likely came from ease and simplification of recycling process.”
Changes to UM’s recycling process
The University of Montevallo recently adopted new recycling protocols that streamlined the process for students and staff. The changes on campus are a result of the changes at the recycling center, according to Dr. Susan Caplow.
Caplow is a professor of Environmental Studies at UM and she coordinates UM’s sustainability initiatives. She says that UM’s recycled materials go to the Montevallo Recycling Center.
When the city’s recycling center changed to single stream recycling, the university adjusted their recycling policies.
“That switch at the recycling center allowed us to expand our offerings,” said Caplow.
The university now accepts all types of cans, #1, #2 and #5 plastics of all shapes, all kinds of paper and cardboard in recycling bins around campus. UM still separates its recyclables into three streams for ease of sorting at the physical plant.
Sorting recyclables at UM
Caplow explained that all trash and recycling bags are taken to the physical plant where they are then sorted.
“If we did plastic and aluminum and paper all together it would be harder to identify what is trash and what is recycling,” said Caplow.
Caplow addressed the rumor on campus of all recyclable materials being taken as trash. She says that people see the bags being taken together, but they do not know the physical plant does the sorting.
“When the physical plant goes to pick up those bags they put it in a physical plant truck, they don’t put it on a garbage truck,” she said.
Caplow says that students can contribute by putting recyclable materials in the correct bins and removing any trash they see in the recycling bins. She says bags of recyclable materials that have trash mistakenly thrown in them are more likely to not be recycled.
All recyclables can also be taken directly to the Montevallo Recycling Center located at 1120 Overland Rd. For more information on what can and cannot be recycled, visit https://www.cityofmontevallo.com/Recyclingcenter.aspx.
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