Campus News

RecycleMania: UK Aims to Recycle More Than Ever in 2016

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LEXINGTON, Ky. (Jan. 26, 2016) — Folders, magazines, glass bottles, aluminum cans, office paper, and cardboard boxes that are brown or grey inside. What do all these items have in common? They're recyclable.

In 2014, UK recycled a total of 5,756,000 pounds. This amount includes recyclables from UK HealthCare, Athletics and off campus UK facilities. By sending some of its recyclables to the Lexington-Fayette Urban County Government Recycling Center, UK, along with other entities, helps support more than 6,000 manufacturing jobs, including about 770 jobs in Kentucky, in companies that rely on recyclable materials.

While these numbers are impressive, UK aims to collect more recyclables than ever in 2016. In fact, UK will compete against hundreds of universities in RecycleMania, a national recycling competition among college and university recycling programs.

Throughout February and March, the UK Recycling Office, in collaboration with the UK Office of Sustainability, Greenthumb Environmental Club and UK Dining, will encourage UK students, faculty and staff to recycle more and waste less. Events across campus will highlight the importance of recycling at UK.

First up on the calendar is a Recycling Lunch and Learn from 12:15-12:45 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 16. The event will be held in the private dining room of Fresh Food Company at The 90. Anyone is welcome to attend and is encouraged to bring their own lunch.

As part of RecycleMania, UK recycling staff is also available to speak to any campus group, office or organization interested in learning more about recycling. Contact UK Recycling coordinator Esther Moberly at emoberly@uky.edu to schedule a talk.

To keep up with RecycleMania and to learn new information about recycling, follow UK Recycling on social media:

Facebook - UK Recycling

Twitter - UK Recycling

Snapchat - UK_Recycling

Instagram - universityofkentucky_recycling

Pinterest - UK Recycling 

MEDIA CONTACT: Whitney Harder, 859-323-2396, whitney.harder@uky.edu