UW Seattle

Aluminum cans get preferential treatment at the UW. Unlike disposal for other recyclable substances, aluminum can disposal is easily accessible through one of hundreds of aluminum bins throughout campus. "There are three types of containers used for recycling," said Mark Ghezzi, an employee of UW's recycling service and a junior in environmental studies. "There are public-area bins, toters and TAG containers. "Public-area bins are located in buildings like Kane Hall, which have larger classes and lecture halls. These aluminum-only bins can be identified by the UW logo on the front.

For most people at the UW, recycling means little more than tossing an empty aluminum can or an old copy of The Daily into the recycling bin.Very few people think of it beyond a simple reflex. However, before 1990, the University of Washington didn't even have a comprehensive recycling program in place. The Waste Stream Analysis Task Force was formed in 1989, designed to assess disposed waste at the UW and how much of that waste is actually recyclable. The actual analysis began in November 1990.