By Emilie Groover, Staff Writer

Armstrong’s Facility Services purchased six solar-powered waste and recycling units over the summer, and they are now located throughout campus. Some locations include the concrete median in the Science Center parking lot, Shearouse Plaza and in front of the Student Union Building.

Facility Services used state funding of $40,000 to purchase the Bigbelly units.  

Kathryn Twining, director of facility services, explained, “These units contain collection bins for both waste and single-stream recycling materials. The waste bin features a solar powered compactor, which allows us to collect more waste in the bin than the standard trash cans you see around campus.”

Twining mentioned that each unit has a sensor to alert facility services when it is full.

“The software package we purchased with the units lets us track real-time and historical data on waste management across campus,” Twining said.

The information will be used to determine if more Bigbelly units will be needed around campus. The new waste units allow Facility Services to focus more on grounds work and less on trash collecting.

The units also allow for easier recycling.  

“Most of the recycling bins are single-stream recycling, which means sorting is done later and that students can put all recyclable materials in the containers…Each bin has a poster attached to it that informs people what can and cannot be placed in the containers,” Jonathan Hatala,  president of Go Green Armstrong (GGA), mentioned.

The student environmental awareness organization considers recycling just one of their many concerns.  

“Our main initiative is to help make Armstrong a more green campus.  One way we accomplish this is by educating our members on different ways to cut down on waste,” Hatala said. “A current project GGA is involved with is Shoebox Recycling… It is great because it reduces waste by reusing shoes.”

GGA collects slightly used shoes and sends them to Community Recycling, a company which distributes the shoes to those less fortunate.

GGA was not responsible for the placement of the new waste/recycling units, but they hope to extend the act of recycling to the community surrounding Armstrong.