Auburn U. Nabs Hefty Grant for Recycling Bins

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auburn waste & recyclingAuburn University’s Waste Reduction & Recycling Department has received an $84,505 grant from the Alabama Department of Environmental Management (ADEM). The grant will support the purchase of recycling bins and other equipment that the university says will create a more convenient recycling environment for the university community.

The grant will also support outreach efforts to encourage participation in local recycling programs.

Auburn University's recycling program was established in 2005 with a mission to provide waste reduction opportunities and quality recycling services to the Auburn University community. The Waste Reduction & Recycling Department has established three main programs to recycle and reduce waste on campus, including Campus Building Recycling, Residential Recycling, Dining Hall Recycling and Game Day Recycling.

Funding for the grant was made possible through the Solid Wastes & Recyclable Materials Management Act passed by the Alabama Legislature in 2008. The legislation set a $1 per ton fee on all solid wastes disposed of in Alabama landfills, a portion of which supports the Alabama Recycling Fund.

Auburn University applied for ADEM funding as a member of the East Alabama Recycling Partnership (EARP). Since 2009, EARP has been awarded nearly one million dollars of grant funds by ADEM. Auburn University has received nearly $250,000. Other EARP grant recipients include Lee County and the cities of Auburn and Opelika.

The vision of the partnership is to establish a comprehensive and coordinated regional recycling program to divert material from landfills by initiating programs to expand their capacity to collect materials and by implementing promotional and educational activities.

EARP's partners have collectively achieved a rate of 20% waste diversion.

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