Mountain of trash on Lowry Mall puts focus on campus recycling efforts

by Monica Everett, posted April 16, 2010

Bales of aluminum, plastic and paper towered over Lowry Mall to bring attention to recycling efforts at the University of Missouri on Wednesday, March 17.

Robby Lehn stood atop Recycle Mountain spouting off facts.

“How much more could MU recycle everyday? 8,700 pounds!” he yelled to students crossing Lowry Mall.

Lehn, sophomore biology major, is a member of Sustain Mizzou and has been involved with the Recycle Mountain project for the past two years.

“Today this much will go to a landfill,” he said of the mountain that represented the 27 percent of recyclable material that is sent to the Columbia landfill from MU each day. In total, MU generates more than 32,000 pounds of trash per day.

“We’re just trying to create an interest in recycling,” Lehn said.

A pile of what appears to be trash on a prominent campus walkway is sure to have an impact on students, said Sustain Mizzou member Kelly Gehringer.

“Recycle Mountain is difficult to ignore in the same way I think recycling should be difficult to ignore,” she said. “Recycling should be out in the open. Everyone in the public should be paying attention to recycling.”

According to MU News Bureau associate director Christian Basi, MU administration has recently started paying much more attention to recycling and sustainability in general.

“There’s much more to recycling than just putting paper in a recycling bucket and sending it out,” Basi said. “Recycling is just one part of increasing sustainability on campus.”

While the administration is moving in a more sustainable direction, Lehn said they still have a long way to go. Recycle Mountain demonstrated that administrative buildings have the highest potential for recycling more of their waste. According to a trash survey conducted by the University in 2003, 45 percent of administrative building waste that is sent to the landfill is recyclable, followed by academic buildings at 35 percent.

“Recycling supports the economy, is sustainable and makes sure we have resources for the future,” Lehn said.

Recycling can save the University money, too. The 2009 Solid Waste and Recycling at MU Fiscal Year report showed a total savings of $384,625.10 due to recycling.

“This is just one day’s worth,” Lehn said of the recyclable materials piled on Lowry Mall. “How much would this be in one year? That’s when you really realize this could be a mountain.”

The University could save a mountain of money and avoid contributing to a mountainous landfill by increasing recycling efforts.

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