Tailgate Park Recycling Project Enjoys Success

November 14, 2011
Bicycle with trailer
Student volunteers patrol Tailgate Park on the specially equipped Recycle Cycle.

Not only has it been a pretty good year for the University of Wyoming football team, but UW Recycling has had a good year at the Tailgate Park, as well.

Since the 2009 season, student volunteers have patrolled Tailgate Park and the other lots on specially equipped bicycles to collect recyclables.  This season, the UW Nordic Ski team has volunteered to ride the two Recycle Cycles around the parking lots prior to kickoff. They collect aluminum cans, #1 PETE plastic bottles, clear glass and brown glass from fans tailgating before the Pokes take the field.

"This has been a great experience for both the Nordic team and Pokes fans who want to recycle their empty containers without having to haul them away themselves," says Tod Scott, waste stream manager at UW.

So far, more than 1,450 pounds of recyclables have been collected resulting in $850 in sales for the UW Recycling program. The Nebraska game on Sept. 24 saw record numbers in both attendance and recycling collected with 629 pounds of aluminum and 162 pounds of #1 PETE plastic bottles recovered.

The weather canceled the tailgate festivities for the TCU game, but with one game remaining against New Mexico on Nov. 19 , UW Recycling hopes to top $1,000 earned for the season from the five football game tailgate parties.

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