Stony Brook Gears Up for 2014 ‘RecycleMania’ Competition with Ambitious End Game: Zero Percent Landfill Impact

Stony Brook Gears Up for 2014 ‘RecycleMania’ Competition with Ambitious End Game: Zero Percent Landfill Impact

STONY BROOK, N.Y., January 31, 2014 – Stony Brook University is gearing up to defend its 2013 RecycleMania title as the #1 campus recycler of e-waste in North America, when the annual eight-week recycling competition kicks off on February 2. More than 500 college campuses participated in RecycleMania last year, when Stony Brook collected 120,302 pounds of e-waste to secure the title. Stony Brook also led all SUNY schools in the RecycleMania “Gorilla” category in 2013 by collecting 526,733 pounds of recycled paper, cardboard, bottles and cans. This year, in addition to exceeding last year’s recycling records, the University’s pledge is to achieve its ultimate goal: Zero percent landfill impact.

From Left, Stony Brook University student Rich Shelton, a senior majoring in Business and Environmental Design, Policy and Planning and Greg Monaco, Sustainability Coordinator, Office of Sustainability, add E-waste to the receptacles that have been deployed throughout the campus.

To raise the bar and to raise awareness on campus for the need to “e-cycle” empty ink and toner cartridges, batteries, cameras, phones, circuit boards and electronic parts, Stony Brook’s Department of Recycling & Resource Management has placed clearly-labeled e-waste and printer toner recycling receptacles in lobby spaces throughout campus. For larger e-waste items such as computers, TVs, printers, and monitors, students, faculty and staff are encouraged to contact the Sustainability Office at 631-632-4640 to arrange for the collection of these items. Stony Brook’s Department of Recycling & Resource Management is also offering complimentary confidential document shredding and recycling receptacle drop-off and pickup to help campus offices with “spring cleaning.”

“We are very excited about this year’s contest and very hopeful of exceeding last year’s record-breaking numbers,” said Connell Friel, Director of Custodial Services and Recycling and Resource Management. “We encourage everyone to commit to and engage in this very worthwhile endeavor.” 

Individuals and departments interested in recycling services may contact the Recycling & Resource Management office in three ways: place a work order request online through the “Fix It” website; call the University RecycleMania hotline at 631-632-4640; or submit a request via email at: recycling@stonybrook.edu. 

The University community may track RecycleMania results by visiting the University’s RecycleMania site at www.stonybrook.edu/recyclemania. To learn more about the SBU’s recycling and sustainability programs, go to: https://www.stonybrook.edu/com/recycling and https://www.stonybrook.edu/sustainability.

About RecycleMania

RecycleMania is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities to their campus communities. Over an 8-week period each spring, colleges across the United States and Canada report the amount of recycling and trash collected each week and are in turn ranked in various categories based on who recycles the most on a per capita basis, as well as which schools have the best recycling rate as a percentage of total waste and which schools generate the least amount of combined trash and recycling.  With each week’s updated ranking, participating schools follow their performance against other colleges and use the results to rally their campus to reduce and recycle more. The competition, which began in 2001 as a two-school competition between Ohio University and Miami University, has grown over its 14-year history into a major collegiate event in which more than 600 schools participated last year.

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Reporter Contact: 
Alida Almonte
University Media Relations Manager
631-632-6310

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