Aggie Recycling
Since its creation in 1994 the NMSU recycling program has been extremely effective in diverting refuse generated at NMSU to be recycled rather than simply sent to the landfill. With various facilities around campus NMSU is able to recycle a variety of different materials. The diversion of waste has both environmental and economic benefits for the NMSU community and recycling is a key component in the SCCTF mission to create a sustainable environment.
What can be recycled and where?
The recycling program at NMSU has several facilities on campus and is able to recycle a variety of materials including paper, cardboard, ferrous metals, tires, asphalt, and concrete. For a complete list of recyclable materials please see the OFS web site.
• The Material Recycling Facility (MRF), otherwise known as
the Aggie Recycling Center, is the facility used to process and remove
paper and cardboard.
• The Center for Hard to Recycle Materials (CHaRM) is the facility
for processing appliances that use Freon and other toxic chemicals,
used oil, and used tires.
• The Re-Use Facility is the housing area for equipment and
material that can be reused with little or no processing including
building materials such as commodity lumber and some metals.
• The Construction and Demolition (C&D) Facility houses
and processes non-hazardous debris left over from construction and
remodeling projects on campus.
• The Residue Facility houses and processes non-paper materials
that cannot be directly reused without some processing such as scrap
metal.
How can I recycle on campus?
In each of the administrative buildings on campus there is at least one location at which paper can be recycled. To recycle paper the University uses a 4 container collection system. Each container is for a different type of paper and is labeled as to which type of paper should be put in the container. The various recycling facilities around campus will also accept delivery of recyclable material or, alternatively, can schedule a pick up if necessary. To schedule a pick up or a time to make a delivery please contact OFS.
How much does NMSU recycle?
Currently the University spends an estimated $250,000 annually on garbage disposal. However, with a diversion rate of almost 30% the NMSU Recycling Program saves the University over $100,000 a year in garbage disposal costs. The diversion rate is simply a measure of how much of the waste generated is processed for recycling or reused directly as opposed to being sent to a land fill. For example, NMSU processes and recycles approximately 100 tons of scrap metal and 180 tons of paper each year.
What are the benefits of recycling?
The recycling efforts at NMSU have both environmental benefits as well as economic benefits for the University. The amount of material recycled at NMSU saves approximately 13,719 trees, 1,000,000 kilowatt hours of electricity, and 1,614 barrels of oil annually. The economic benefits are not just in the savings due to waste diversion but, in fact, the sale of recyclable materials has generated over $100,000 in revenue over the last decade or so. Paper alone generates approximately $14,000 in income annually.