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Administrative Policies

AD34 University Recycling Program

Policy Status: 

Under Review

Subject Matter Expert: 

Phillip Melnick, 814-865-7027, prm1@psu.edu

Policy Steward: 

Senior Vice President and Chief of Staff

Contents:

PURPOSE:

To state the University's commitment toward sustainability and environmental resource conservation by establishing a Recycling/Reuse Policy.

POLICY:

It is the policy of the University that all Faculty, Staff, Students and visitors comply with the applicable federal/state/local laws, as well as this policy, and participate in the Recycling Program by separating recyclables and placing them in the appropriate labeled receptacles, and following the regulations set forth below.

DEFINITION:

Recycling:
general reduction of waste generation and separation from the waste stream of specified materials for later collection and reuse for the purpose of demonstrating sustainable practices while protecting the environment and reducing the amount of solid waste deposited to landfills by the University.
Recyclables:
those materials designated by the Office of Physical Plant to be separated from the waste stream for collection and processing in a manner that these materials can later be returned to the marketplace as a useful product.

GOALS:

The following are the objectives of the program:

  1. To enhance recycling/reuse of University-generated solid waste and recognize recycling/reuse as the primary means of disposal.
  2. To ease the University's reliance on landfilling University-generated solid waste.
  3. To comply with Department of Environmental Protection guidelines, state, and local laws and ordinances.
  4. To encourage the development and adoption of specifications which eliminate barriers to, and encourage the purchase of products that contain post-consumer recycled materials.
  5. To develop and implement a policy that will promote waste reduction at the University to include recycling, reuse, composting, and green purchasing.

SCAVENGING:

Separated recyclables, once deposited in official University containers, remain the property of the University. Therefore, scavenging is considered theft and is prohibited and punishable in accordance with established University policies and/or applicable laws.

DUMPING:

Dumping, by individuals or organizations, of waste not generated as a result of official University activities conducted on University property is prohibited in accordance with established University policies and/or applicable laws.

Effective Date: November 11, 2008

Date Approved: October 23, 2008

Date Published: November 11, 2008

Most recent changes:

  • November 11, 2008 - Clarifications of verbiage in the PURPOSE, DEFINITION, SCAVENGING, and DUMPING sections. Clarifications and expansion of GOALS section.

Revision History (and effective dates):

  • June 15, 2006 - Revision History added.
  • September 24, 1990 - New Policy.

Date Approved: 

October 23, 2008

Date Published: 

November 11, 2008

Effective Date: 

November 11, 2008