Ephraim recycling center makes it easier to be green

New hours, new labeling should make it easier for recyclers to go ‘serf-serv’

By Suzanne Dean

Publiser

Oct. 6, 2017

EPHRAIM—Snow College is changing the hours of its recycling center from Saturdays to weekdays and transitioning to more of a self-service operation.

Previously, the center was open every other Saturday morning. Student employees were on hand those mornings to help take recyclables out of cars or show patrons where to put various types of items.
Now, the center is open from 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. “We’ve done some relabeling of areas so people should be able to come in and drop of their items where needed,” says Leslee Cook, director of campus services.

Frequently, a student employee or campus services staff member is working in or near the recycling center and available to answer questions.

And, Cook says, an administrative staff person is nearly always at the front desk just inside the Physical Facilities Building. The front desk phone number is 283-7220.

Cook said the change is designed to save money and increase service. Previously, the Physical Facilities Department was paying one of its full-time staff members to work on the recycling Saturdays.

With the changes, people can come to the recycling center many more days of the month but at times when physical facilities staff are on duty anyway, she said.

The change may be difficult for people who work on weekdays and are accustomed to coming on Saturdays. But since the center is open at 7 a.m. on weekdays, Cook hopes people might be able to come before work.

The recycling center employs nine work-study students who each work 10 hours per week. They sort recyclables brought to the center and collect items left in recycling bins around campus.

The driveway into the center is on the north side of College Avenue across the street from the Greenwood Center. The center itself is behind the Physical Facilities and heating plant buildings and isn’t visible from the street.

Following is an outline of items the recycling center accepts:

• All types of paper, including newspapers, white and colored paper, and packaging. The paper can’t have staples in it.
• Cardboard including boxes, food packages and product packages.
• Aluminum drink cans
• Plastics, grades 1 and 2, in any color. The grade is found in a triangle, which by law is molded into the plastic container. Lids have to be the same grades as their containers, if a container is accepted, the lid is okay, too.

Any food or cooking oil must be cleaned out of a container before delivery to the Recycling Center.

The center also accepts plastic shopping bags. It does not accept Styrofoam packaging.

• Tin and metal, including food cans, scrap metal, iron, brass and copper.