DeKALB | Melissa Boehm, a junior journalism major, will make an effort to recycle on campus for America Recycles Day, a national event.

Boehm said she tries to make an effort every day to recycle on campus because her apartment complex in DeKalb does not offer recycling services.

“[When I lived with my family], we always recycled,” Boehm said. “At my complex we have garbage bins, but no recycling bins. There’s so much garbage that comes from college students, that it seems wasteful to me not to recycle.”

According to the America Recycles Day Web site, the nonprofit organization was initiated in 1997 with the goal to increase recycling throughout America and the purchasing of recycled-content products.

Mary Alice Drain, energy specialist at NIU’s recycling program, said all paper, aluminum, glass, beverage containers and plastics numbers one through five are recyclable on campus. Like all recyclable materials, plastics are rated with a number located inside the recycling triangular symbol, Drain said. Each week, when necessary, Waste Management collects all recyclable goods from recycling services.

In addition to the recycling bins on campus, items can be placed in the bin located on W. Stadium Drive at any time of the day, she said.

“With any [item], including paper, if it has food on it, it’s going to draw vermin,” Drain said. “If [you want to recycle] then take the food out before you put it in the container so it won’t attract animals or bugs.”

Though many people often try to recycle window glass, the university does not collect this due to the danger of handling it, she said. The university also does not pay for recycled items.

Mark Heim, vice president of DeKalb Iron & Metal Co. (DIMCO), said the recycling center, located at 900 E. Oak St. in DeKalb, will pay for all aluminum items and auto batteries. Both ferrous (containing iron) and non-ferrous items are also accepted. Cash or check are given for donated items. Prices range from 40 cents to $2 a pound, Hein said. Old car batteries are accepted for a price of about 50 cents each.

“The batteries cannot be landfilled because they have lead and acid in them,” Hein said. “We are a good drop-off spot for old batteries [so] items are recycled properly and nothing harmful is released into the environment.”