Fans can use gold-top recycling containers
Thursday, September 6, 2012
Written by: George McCrory

This fall, Kinnick Stadium will be little greener thanks to a new game day recycling effort, starting with the Iowa vs. Iowa State game on Saturday, Sept. 8.

University of Iowa Athletics, Facilities Management, the Office of Sustainability, Waste Management, the Delta Tau Delta fraternity, and the ECO Hawk student organization are partnering to reduce the amount of trash ending up in the landfill after football games.

Twenty-four, gold-top recycling containers will be placed at the Kinnick entrance gates, and 17 containers will be set in the concourse areas, thereby adding to the Coca-Cola bottle-shaped bins already in place.

Fans can do their part by recycling plastic bottles, cans, plastic souvenir cups, paper cups, coffee cup holders and lids, popcorn buckets, cardboard, and paper. Items not accepted include: bags, glass, food, and food-covered containers. Volunteers, led by Delta Tau Delta members, will be staffing recycling stations at the gates to educate and assist fans in sorting their recyclable materials.

ARAMARK is also joining the effort by collecting pre-consumer waste (kitchen waste) in the concessions and Press Box areas for composting. During the post-game cleanup on Sundays, Delta Tau Delta brothers will assist City High and West High students to sort recyclable materials. Waste Management will haul all the materials collected at games to a City Carton recycling facility.

This game day recycling program is part of the UI’s 2020 Vision sustainability goal to divert 60 percent of waste from the landfill by 2020. During last season’s Iowa vs Michigan game on Nov. 5, approximately 25 percent of the waste generated was recycled and diverted from the landfill. UI’s game day recycling team hopes to more than double that number, aiming for a 60 percent diversion rate this season.

Student groups are encouraged to join the UI recycling team to help make Kinnick greener. For information about volunteering, see sustainability.uiowa.edu/gameday-recycling/or contact the Office of Sustainability at 319-335-5517 or recycle@uiowa.edu.