Publications and Procedures

Recycling Policy

"We do not inherit the earth from our parents, we borrow it from our children."
~ Chief Seattle

The Office of Waste Management (OWM) has created a comprehensive and effective recycling program that serves as a national model among institutions of higher education.

The recycling efforts of University staff, faculty, and students annually conserve 450,000 gallons of oil, save 20,000 trees and help UMass to avoid $200,000 annually in disposal charges. These are just some of the environmental and resource conservation benefits associated with UMass' 50% recycling rate.

In fiscal year 2000 we recycled:

• Paper and cardboard: 1,135 tons
• Bottles and cans: 158 tons
• Organic wastes: 1,464 tons
• Special wastes: 828 tons
• Total: 3,585 tons

Still, more opportunities remain to reduce, re-use, and recycle University wastes that are now destined for the landfill. State and local environmental regulations prohibit the disposal of recyclable material in landfills and incinerators. The University must comply with these regulations or face possible fines and load rejections. The Amherst landfill is now assessing fines against waste loads ($250 per violation) containing greater than 5% recyclable material.

It is the obligation of every member of the campus community to do their part by helping the University increase its recycling rate and reduce waste - including unnecessary fines and disposal fees.

University faculty, students, and staff are expected to cooperate with this program by separating recyclable materials from trash and sorting these materials into our color-coded recycling bins. The Physical Plant's Office of Waste Management will continue to support this effort by issuing recycling guidelines and providing up-to-date information and assistance to the campus community.

In order to promote viable markets for recyclable materials collected at the University and within the Commonwealth of Massachusetts as a whole, the Chancellor urges all staff members with purchasing authority to maximize procurement of equipment and supplies containing post-consumer recycled materials. Campus buyers are authorized to apply a ten-percent price preference to recycled-content products where performance, quality, durability, etc. are equal to equivalent products made from virgin materials. For answers to questions about recycling, waste reduction, and "buy recycled" opportunities, see the OWM web site at www.umass.edu/recycle.

Please help make UMass Amherst the Commonwealth's leader in protection of the environment!