PSU Makes Recycling Part Of The Game

WORLD WASTES STAFF

State College, Pa. - At Penn State University (PSU), football involves more than touchdowns, field goals and extra points - it includes recycling.

To meet state recycling goals, the stadium established a recycling program in 1990 that consisted of a few drop-off sites. Initially, only four tons of recyclables were collected.

The program, however, in-creasingly ex-panded, and in 1995, took on partners.

The Centre County Solid Waste Authority, the Penn State Department of Athletics and the Penn State Office of Physical Plant expanded the stadium drop-off program to 23 recycling stations in key tailgate areas.

To help the tailgaters recycle, the program added a tailgate curbside pick-up; a golf cart carrying recycling bins that travels among tailgaters allowing them to recycle without leaving the party. The convenience of the "traveling bins" has increased the volume of recyclables collected; it nearly doubles each home game.

Materials are moved to the Centre County materials re-covery facility for weighing, sorting and shipping. The recyclable proceeds, which totaled more than $10,000 in 1995, are donated to the United Way.

To help with the recycling effort, the stadium's 96,000 fans are encouraged to participate by an-nouncements made during each home game. Also, the logo "Penn State Recycles" is periodically displayed on the scoreboard.

In addition, local hotel rooms and distributors have brochures detailing the program.