From 2005 to 2007, East Lansing’s volume of collected recyclables decreased, largely due to declining newspaper volumes and the closing of drop-off sites near campus.

But in 2008, the city saw a 4 percent increase in recyclables collected, in part because the public became more familiar with new drop-off site locations that have been established over the past several years, said Dave Smith, an environmental specialist for East Lansing.

The city’s two drop-off sites are located at the Department of Public Works building at 1800 E. State Road, and the East Lansing Public Schools Administration Building, 841 Timberlane St.

In the past, drop-off sites were located near the East Lansing Fire Station as well as in Valley Court Park, but those locations had to be closed during the past five years due to rezoning and fire safety issues, Smith said.

Smith said the main contributor to East Lansing’s recycling lapse was a decrease in the volume of newspaper being consumed and recycled.

“It seems pretty clear with the advent of the Internet and other industry trends, it seems that it’s affected newspaper volumes,” Smith said.

East Lansing collected close to 1,700 tons of recyclables in 2008, 240 of which were newspapers. In 2004, when the city reached a peak for recyclables collected, nearly a quarter of the 2,100 tons collected were newspapers.

The city’s recycling program is funded mainly by a solid waste millage. The tax pays completely for residents’ recycling fees, although $5.50 is required for curbside bins, Smith said.

The amount of recyclables collected in East Lansing at the drop-off sites is similar to the amount collected off curbsides. In 2007, drop-off site materials rose from 792 to 916 tons, while curbside materials decreased from 802 tons to 734.

Drop-off distances

More than a decade ago, the city provided curbside cardboard recycling for businesses, but fire safety hazards have left businesses with no other option than to take recyclables to drop-off sites.

Some business owners said they see the distance as an inconvenience and wish the city would provide them more options.

“For a city that prides itself on being green, it doesn’t do a lot to help us recycle,” said Dustin Sprigg, store manager at Espresso Royale, 527 E. Grand River Ave. “I think it’s great they have a site for us, but it was better when it was downtown.”

Sprigg said he brings several pounds of cardboard and plastics to the drop-off site each week but said he doesn’t think many other nearby businesses go through the effort to recycle.

Laura Hall, owner of Agog Arts, 225 E. Grand River Ave., said she would make a greater effort to recycle materials if the drop-off sites were closer.

“They used to have them in downtown East Lansing, but now we have to go north of town,” Hall said. “I would recycle cardboard and other materials.”

The city of Ann Arbor has operated a curbside recycling program for businesses for several years and recently passed an ordinance that would require all businesses to partake in the program within the next three years, said Nancy Stone, community liaison for public services for Ann Arbor.

Stone said about 30 percent of businesses utilize the curbside program.

While a similar policy in East Lansing might encourage greater recycling efforts, Smith said it likely would require more funding.

Kerrin O’Brien, executive director of the Michigan Recycling Coalition, said it’s still uncommon for cities to provide curbside recycling for businesses.

“It’s still something that a lot of cities don’t have,” O’Brien said. “I really think East Lansing provides some good opportunities and unique challenges, in that there’s a transient population moving in and out every few months.”

Maximizing materials

In June, MSU began construction on a $13 million processing center that will allow the university to more easily generate and sort recyclable materials.

To generate a profit, processing centers bail materials and ship them to where they can be reused.

The center is funded by the surplus and recycling departments, but it is expected to eventually be self-sustaining, recycling coordinators said.

“The push behind it was, we knew we could generate more revenue as an institution with this facility,” said Ruth Daoust, MSU’s surplus and recycling program education manager. “It will be used for storage services, too.”

MSU currently uses Lansing’s Granger Waste Management Co. and another company out of Royal Oak for its processing services.

The new MSU Surplus Store and Recycling Center will be located off Service Road near the Simon Power Plant and is expected to be complete by early fall.

Recycling awareness has increased significantly on campus, thanks to efforts from Be Spartan Green, MSU’s environmental stewardship group, and awareness of environmental issues, recycling officials said.

Recycling is available in 579 structures on campus and drivers make rounds five days a week to collect materials. Students can place their recyclables in containers in virtually every building on campus.

Changing perceptions

While global climate change looms as a lifelong problem for the younger generation to contend with, city officials said students have responded positively to their efforts to raise awareness about recycling.

Smith said he recently began a Facebook page about East Lansing’s recycling program and already has 200 members, the greatest portion of who are students.

“One of the main reasons (for the page) is to get through to students,” Smith said. “We’re seeing more and more students being involved.”

Some students, like accounting junior Mike Balogh, said the university’s efforts to go green have made him more aware of the benefits of recycling.

“There’s stuff everywhere — you put your cans here and your recyclables here,” Balogh said. “I think it’s a good thing.”