Recycling programs on rise

Can Manufacturers Institute reported that aluminum can recycling has reached its highest level in 10 years, at a rate of 58.1 percent, in its annual report from June 15.

According to the report the energy savings is equivalent to 17 million barrels of crude oil or the amount of gasoline consumed in the United States in a two day period.

Another advantage of recycling is that it cuts down on waste leading to less garbage in land fields.

Heidi Logue, director of developmental training at CCAR industries, said a total of 127,264 pounds, an average of 42,421 pounds per month, in recyclables from Eastern was received between March and May.

Ryan Siegle, campus energy and sustainability coordinator, said Eastern receives more than $20,000 a year from this effort and that it pays his student workers' wages which helps the students pay for their college education.

He said Eastern recycles many things including paper products, plastic, aluminum, scrap metal, batteries and small electronics.

"If there is a product out there that there is a good quantity of, we try to find a place to recycle it," Siegle said.

The paper products go to CCAR Industries, number one plastic and aluminum goes to the Neil Armstrong Center in Mattoon, scrap metal goes to General Steel in Mattoon, batteries and electronics not owned by the university go to a recycling firm in the North West Business Park and pallets go to a company in Pesotum for recycling or reuse.