By Plamena PeshevaDOWNTOWN CROSSING – Businesses and non-profit organizations have to set up their own recycling system, because the city does not sponsor them.
In 2006, Suffolk University students expanded their recycling program. Emerson College started a program in 1996, and in September 2006, it opened a green building dormitory, Piano Row. About 65 percent of the city’s large residential buildings have a recycling program, said recycling staff technical assistant Beth Gardner; and student recycling on college campuses is increasing. College officials said raising awareness is still the biggest challenge with recycling.
Emerson College’s green building is a Leadership Energy Environmental Design certified building, which means it uses strategies for sustainable development, water savings, energy efficiency, and indoor environmental quality. A video on the college’s website said Piano Row is energy efficient because the paint used in the building doesn’t contain chemicals that pollute the air. Water efficiency comes from half-flush toilets and low-pressure showers. Water savings comes from reusing rain water.
Jonathan Satriale, the journalism -technology manager at Emerson, said while the school recycles paper, there is a need for more can and bottle recycling bins. Emerson also has a reverse vending machine that takes recyclables. Satriale said student awareness is the biggest challenge.
"You can tell by how much Coke bottles are thrown out," he said. "Would they recycle if they could or are they oblivious about it?"
Suffolk University’s recycling program was expanded in 2006 because of student initiative to become more active.
Erica Mattison, coordinator for campus sustainability, said they started to put recycling bins next to every trash can. The school’s three dormitories have recycling on every floor.
She said recycling has increased over the last two years. In 2006, Suffolk only recycled 5 percent of its waste. In 2007, it recycled 15 percent. This year, the university recycled 30 percent of their waste.
Mattison said people are not familiar with how to recycle.
"We’ll be reaching out to new students and commuter students," she said. Commuter students make up 75 percent of the school’s population.
Mattison said most people want to recycle; but they lack a convenient way to do so.
Beth Gardner, a recycling staff technical assistant who manages the city’s larger residential buildings, said each part of the city has one recycling day, which is the same day as trash pick up. Some areas might have more than one trash day, but recycling is still picked up once a week. All recycling materials go to the Material Recovery Facility, which is owned by FCR Recycling, in Charlestown.
A 2003 law requires all large buildings to have recycling programs. Gardner said a tenant’s request is needed before they can make recycling mandatory.
"I work with a lot of building managers," she said. "It’s hard to get the owner to cooperate."
Generally, most large buildings get notified to start recycling after a tenant’s request. If they don’t start recycling after 30 days, a fine of $100 is issued for a first-time violation. Afterward, the fine is $300 every week.