VCU “Dumpster Dive In” encourages recycling

By Mike Porter

It was a stinky, messy job, but eight volunteers set out to prove that not every item thrown in the trash belongs there.

Over six hours last Friday, volunteers donned protective jumpsuits, gloves and masks and sifted through a mountain of trash bags collected from 10 Dumpsters on the Virginia Commonwealth University Monroe Park Campus. By the time it was over, they had gone through 2.5 tons of trash, which had been unloaded on a large tarp at Park Plaza, between the Singleton Center for the Performing Arts and Hibbs Hall.

The “Dumpster Dive In” event was part of “America Recycles Day,” dedicated to encouraging recycling and the purchase of recycled products. VCU’s event was organized by Steve Heinitz, recycling coordinator, VCU Department of Environmental Conservation.

“It was a great learning experience for me and everyone else who participated,” Heinitz said. “It showed us first hand how much trash VCU generates in a single day and how well we are recycling our waste.”

Items that could have been recycled but were thrown in the trash included an estimated 800 pounds of plastic bottles, 600 pounds of leaves, 125 pounds of cardboard boxes, 100 pounds of mixed paper, 50 pounds of glass and 50 pounds of wood and metal.

Heinitz said 35 percent of what had been thrown away — 1,725 pounds — ended up being recycled through the Dumpster dive. Not counting leaves, which were sent to a composting facility, 23 percent of the trash that was thrown away could have been recycled.

“Considering this was our first ‘Dumpster dive in’ event, I was happy with the results and I think the percentages are in line with what we expected to recycle out of the waste,” Heinitz said

Among the most unusual finds in the trash was a new calculator, still in the packaging.

The “Dumpster Dive In” is part of VCU’s concentrated focus on sustainability and environmental issues. VCU launched a Year of the Environment celebration last month to highlight the contributions and leadership that university’s can bring to further improve Virginia’s sustainable practices and the impact on natural resources.

Another “Dumpster Dive In” event is scheduled for April 2010 in conjunction with Earth Day.