Did You Know?

Some facts to consider... gathered by Christy Reuille

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From: Centre Region Council of Governments: Regional Refuse and Recycling Program

1. Costs $70 per ton to dispose of trash but only $5 per ton to dispose of recyclables in Centre County

2. Recycled waste creates 10 times more jobs per ton in the municipal waste industry than land-filled waste.

3. Pennsylvania law - through Pennsylvania Act 101 and through local ordinances - mandates recycling for the State College Borough along with Benner, College, Ferguson, Harris, and Patton Townships.

From: green.psu.edu

1. Benner, College, Harris, Ferguson, and Patton Townships put 11,080 tons of waste into landfills in 2010.

2. Penn State University Park created 15,034 tons of waste in 2010 of which 59% was recyclable.

3. Penn State pays the Centre County Transfer Center $70 per ton to collect trash from the University. However, the University only pays $5 per ton for loose recyclables to be removed or $20 per ton for bagged recyclables to the Centre County Recycling and Refuse Authority.

4. Based off 2009, every faculty, staff, and student at Penn State University Park creates an average of 460 pounds of waste each year.

5. Newspapers account for 3,200 pounds of waste at University Park each day.

6. In 2011, Penn State University Park generated 12,782 tons of trash and 7,382 tons of recycling.

7. As a whole university, Penn State uses 400 million kilowatt-hours of electricity each year - 88.75% of which is purchased from a grid, 11.25%  of which is produced on campus through steam plants.

8. Penn State University Park is powered through purchased energy from FirstEnergy Corporation and through 2 on campus steam plants that are powered by coal and natural gas.