Going through recycling cans is routine for Vicki Ortega, Building Services foreman at the Holmes Student Center.

Building Services does not have the time to sort the recyclables, Ortega said, and consequently, what was supposed to be recycled often ends up in the garbage.

Recycling costs the university $80,000 to $100,000 every year, said Robert Albanese, associate vice president of finance and facilities.

Recycling services have been out-sourced to Waste Management since the late ‘90s, Albanese said.

Waste Management is a nationwide waste removal company with 138 recycling plants, according to the company’s Web site, wm.com.

Students also are concerned about NIU’s recycling program.

“Students are not conscious about recycling here at NIU,” said Katie Prichard, a freshman elementary special education major. “They just toss everything in the garbage.”

The program uses three or four bin units that allow for the collection of garbage, cans, bottles and paper.

Before NIU, Prichard attended Northern Iowa University, where, she said, the recycling program was more efficient than NIU’s program.

“Recycling rules were enforced at the Northern Iowa residence halls more than they are here at NIU,” Prichard said.

The NIU 3R Program (Waste Reduction, Reuse and Recycling) was born out of NIU students’ efforts in 1976. The Student Association supported the program but by the early ‘90s, the SA Recycling Program had incurred $70,000 in debt.

NIU recycling efforts are now part of the Physical Plant, said Michael Saari, NIU Physical Plant director.

Since the university took over the program in the ‘90s, the SA has nothing to do with it, said SA vice president John Acardo.

The SA is eliminating paper waste in its office and conducts business electronically, Acardo said. Even memos are e-mailed.

The NIU 3R Program has received funding from NIU, the Department of Commerce and Community Affairs and the Illinois Bureau of Energy and Recycling.

For more information about the NIU recycling program, log on to www.niu.edu/recycling/ or contact the office at 753-0352.