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The Daily Tar Heel

Better waste disposal: New system for increasing recycling will only work if students participate

A pilot waste disposal project recently started in Dey Murphey and Hamilton halls is an innovative way to encourage recycling and better facilitate trash collection.

But this plan will only work if students choose to cooperate.

The project co-sponsored by the environmental affairs committee of student government Housekeeping Services and the Office of Waste Reduction and Recycling removes trash bins in classrooms and centralizes all trash disposal in the hallways.

Now two large bins for recycling and waste have been placed in every hallway.

This method of trash disposal might compel students to recycle more since the option to do so will be easier at the centralized disposal bins outside the classrooms.

At first it might seem like a nuisance for students to wait until the end of class to discard their trash in the hallways.

Of course some might decide against taking the extra step to help the environment and leave litter in the classrooms.

Excessive littering would result in extra work for the cleaning staff defeating the purpose of this new initiative and making our classrooms dirtier.

Not to mention the additional work that the housekeepers will be required to do.

But if all goes according to plan the University might wind up saving money from the more cost-efficient garbage disposal system.

And it certainly won't be hard to cooperate. The centralized trash collection sites are just around the corner or right down the hallway.

So for the good of the environment and out of respect for our cleaning staff students should cooperate with this well-intentioned pilot program.


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