Cardboard recycling containers around campus are being replaced and changing colors to blue after new equipment was purchased for on-campus recycling efforts this fall.

The new containers will save the university money over the years through by making the recycling process more efficient, Resource Conservation Manager Jennifer Maxwell said.

“It’s time to upgrade,” Maxwell said. “With the new collection, the goal is to be much more efficient.”

The new containers, purchased by the Physical Plant, are compatible with the new trucks acquired by the university last year.

The trucks used before were bought around 15 years ago from N.C. State University’s Surplus, a program that sells unwanted and unused equipment in an auction-like fashion.

“They’re pretty outdated vehicles,” Maxwell said.

Maxwell said the problems with the old trucks were caused mainly by their age. One of the issues was the difficulty finding parts and other maintenance issues.

“The rear-load dumpsters, you had to haul each one individually to the landfill for recycling, but now, with the compactor truck, you’re able to empty them all into the truck and go out to the landfill once,” Maxwell said.

Last year, the contamination of cardboard and other recycling with trash was a major concern, Maxwell said.

“There were some issues with contamination, so we had to send out a couple of emails to say if it gets too contaminated, it’ll have to be thrown away,” Maxwell said.

In one of those emails, students were told trash was being placed in the cardboard containers, especially “tobacco and tobacco juice.”

Sophomore athletic training major Nick Miller said the new containers “gives motivation to recycle.”

“If others invest their money to benefit the environment, then it’s the least we can do,” Miller said.

There are 31 dumpster locations across campus and the new blue containers will be in place starting in September.

Story: DANIEL STEVENSON, Intern News Reporter