Benedictine University recycles bricks, books and ink jet cartridges

Fifteen dollars may not seem like a lot of money. Nonetheless, it represents a huge commitment on the part of Benedictine University faculty, staff and administrators to support and participate in environmentally-friendly activities on campus.

Benedictine University recently received a check for $15.55 from EnviroSMART, a leading cartridge recycling company, for the first month of the ink-jet cartridge recycling program. The program is administered by Kevin Doyle, professor of Computer Science and Information Systems, and Mike Hazdra of the Office of Information Technology.

"These kinds of programs are economically viable, environmentally-friendly and tend to grow with time," Doyle said.

Benedictine University has also launched a book recycling program on campus. Benedictine community members are invited to recycle books they plan to throw or give away. These books are donated to the Scrap Book Recycling Program of DuPage County, which sends books to needy schools and children in Illinois.

The tear down of Benedictine Hall, the oldest building on campus, also created an opportunity for recycling. Many of the copper fixtures and other metal products associated with the building were salvaged prior to the building's demolition.

The demolition also produced an abundance of bricks, many of which were either recycled or are for sale as momentos to alumni and friends of the University.

One of the largest recycling projects on campus involves a partnership with Browning Ferris Industries of Illinois (BFI). A recycling "bin" has been placed near each desk in every office and in common areas across campus to encourage faculty, staff and students to recycle paper, plastic containers, glass and aluminum.

The five-year-old program was made possible through a grant from the Illinois Department of Commerce and Community Affairs. BFI provides a rebate to Benedictine University for the material it collects.

mail Benedictine University 5700 College Road Lisle, IL 60532 key contacts Jean-Marie Kauth e-mail jkauth@ben.edu phone (630) 829-6272