I am sure, as a student, you have seen the blue bins and the mixed recycling section of the trash cans around campus. Have you ever wondered where the contents of those bins go? 

Many people throw recyclables in the trash because they may assume that Bolles does not recycle, but we do.

According to a student in environmental science, Holden Edgecombe ‘25, the recycling bins around campus are not always recycled. When items are placed in a recycling bin, they are discarded with the trash around campus, “if it is more than a third contaminated.” When the recycling bins are pulled by the maintenance crew around campus, they have to “eyeball” how much trash is in with the recyclables. Only if the bags have less than a third of trash in them can they can be disposed of accordingly. 

The problem that arises with this is students do not always put their trash and recyclables into the correct bin. Oftentimes, students will put trash, food, reusable plates, and even metal utensils in the recycling bins. This puts Bolles in a position they do not like, because, as Edgecombe states, “Every year they have to buy about $2,000 worth of silverware.”

Jeff Role is the chief finance and operations officer at Bolles. Regarding the best way to promote recycling around campus, he says we simply need to educate more people. “We can start recycling more efficiently when things are just being disposed of properly.”

Not only are students not always abiding by the recycling rules, but they may even throw away their plastic bottles and other recyclables into the trash. This is bad for the environment because it creates microplastics. This can easily be avoided if we just recycle responsibly. 

Microplastics are small plastic particles less than five millimeters long which accumulate in the environment as discarded plastics (like discarded water bottles) break down. Organisms inadvertently ingest them, and scientists have found that they can be harmful to not just humans but other animals too. While all effects of consuming microplastics are unknown, we do know they are harmful. This lack of research on the topic is concerning and proves just how dangerous not recycling properly is. 

The COP28 summit is going on right now in Expo City, Dubai. The COP28 is the 28th annual meeting of the United Nations that addresses the climate crisis and the best strategies to fix the world’s carbon footprint. You can help support this by simply disposing of your recyclables properly. 

If you would like to contribute to a more eco-friendly environment at Bolles, think before putting anything in the trash or recycling bins around campus. Dispose of your waste responsibly. 

If you or a friend plans on recycling, make sure to empty the object’s contents before placing it in the recycling bin, make sure the object is of recyclable material, and encourage others around you to recycle as well.