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Recycling and Composting at
Folsom Field
What
is recyclable?
Aluminum cans, plastic
bottles, clean/balled foil as well as cardboard and other
light-colored paper. Plastic cups are not currently recyclable off
campus but are being tested here at CU.
Where do recyclables
go?
What is
compost?
-
reducing the need for
fertilizers
-
reducing the need for
water
-
preventing
erosion
-
preventing creation of
methane, a potent greenhouse gas
What can I
compost at the Stadium?
What is
compostable packaging?
Bagasse is made from leftover
sugarcane stalks, which were previously burned or thrown away, to
create products that feel like paper, but are less
expensive.
Polylactic acid (PLA), and
Plant Starch Material (PSM) are the result of progress in
biotechnology. Processes can now extract sugars and starches from
plant matter. These can be converted into resins that are then
formed into usable products, using 65% less resources versus
conventional plastics.
Where do compostables
go?
What is zero waste
and is it really possible?
Zero waste is no longer an
idealistic vision but a practical cornerstone of sustainability.
Newsweek for instance, listed zero waste at the top of its list of
ten fixes for the planet.
CU first envisioned a waste
free campus in its 2006 Blueprint for a Green Campus. Since then,
CUGÇÖs waste has decreased, despite record-levels of enrollment and
new construction. This saves disposal costs, earns revenues from
robust recycling markets, and employs students who make a
difference with their degree.
Where can I get more
info?
Visit CU
Recycling at the Environmental Center in the UMC, room 355 or on
the web: www.recycling.colorado.edu. For more information about compostable packaging, visit
Eco-Products at http://www.ecoproducts.com
The goal of Zero
Waste is to recycle or compost ninety percent or more of all
materials. More importantly though, zero waste moves beyond "waste
disposal" and even "waste diversion" by trying to design waste out
of products and packaging completely. Western Disposal composts the
organic fraction from the stadium separately for CU-specific
testing and quality control at itGÇÖs permitted composting facility
in Boulder. Finished compost will be returned to CU as a valuable
soil amendment. Packaging made from organic materials can be composted
along with food scraps in commercial composting facilities. Main
types of compostable packaging are untreated paper, sugar cane pulp
(bagasse), polylactic acid (PLA), and Plant Starch Material
(PSM). Unlike backyard composting, the "industrial-strength"
composting process for this event enables the following materials
to be accepted:
Food, meat and bones, soiled paper napkins, paper cups, compostable
packaging, and paper towels from bathrooms. Compost is a valuable soil
amendment produced by the controlled decomposition of specific
organic materials. Compost has some amazing benefits
including: After the game, barrels and bags are sorted at CUGÇÖs
Intermediate Processing Facility (IPF) next to the Stadium. Cans,
bottles, and clean foil as well as cardboard boxes are picked up by
Eco-Cycle and taken to Boulder CountyGÇÖs recycling facility where
materials are baled and shipped to recycling mills. |
