Recyling+at+METU

RECYCLING AT METU

In this page we want to inform people about the history of recycling at METU, Is it enough? and Have students ever contributed recycling?, Which materials are recycling at METU? and Where are they recycling at METU? -THE HISTORY OF RECYCLING AT METU

In 1995 recycling project was started at METU which is the home of a lot of project implemented succesfully in Turkey.In the beginning, METU collaborated with Çankaya Belediyesi and CEVKO, then it is supported by METU Nature Society and ARGEE-Ankara.Today, all system is implemented by Precidence of METU and by the recycling volunteers.

The amount of the recycled solid waste in the project is only 4% of the total waste.When income acquired from recycling in 1998 was 360 million TL, in 1999 it was 2.5 billion TL.Until september of 2000 this number had increased 8.5 billion TL.



So far 300 ton waste have been recycled.If we think that 1 ton paper prevent to cut 17 trees, up to now recyled waste prevent to cut 5100 trees.


** WHICH MATERIALS ARE RECYCLING AT METU? and WHERE ARE THEY RECYCLING? **  [|**There is only one thing which doesn’t recycle,is recycling**]



**What is the aim of recycling at Metu? - Contributing the METU scholarship found - Saving papers - After graduate ,making recycling more popular in Turkey - Becoming conscious students**

[|****At METU there are 500 recycling boxes.****]**.They classify 6 categorizes.There is only one dustbin car. It was painted same colours with the recycling boxes.** **-Paper -Metal -Glass -Tetra pak -Plastic** **-Dustbin

The process of recycling involves several steps.To begin with,The rubbish are collected by on duty from recycling. Secondly,They are seperated 3 parts.The first part is metals which are categorized aluminium and tin/tinplate.** **The third part is papers.They are seperated white papers,colourful papers and cardboard.** **Thirdly,The whole materials are sold factories which do recycling.All profit from them are contributed the METU scholarship found.Up to now,1200 tons rubbish were recycled at METU.With this way nearly 24000 trees were saved.Recycling is very important,because of the fact that the searchs are shown one ton paper=17 trees are 25 years old** 
 * The second part is glasses.They part white glasses and colourful glasses.**

Is recycling at METU enough?

We conducted a questionnaire with students at METU and asked 4 questions in this research. These questions are: 1) Have you ever contributed to recycle things? 2) Do you think “recycle” at METU is sufficient? 3) Do you think students at METU are interested enough in “recycling”? 4) Do you think the METU administration is interested enough in “recycling”? A) YES B) SO-SO C) NO

According to our study all the participants contributed more or less for recycling at METU. However, 50% of the students who participated in the research think that “recycle” at METU is not sufficient and 40% of them think that it is hardly enough. In addition, only 10% of them think that it is sufficient. This study reveals that, 70% of the participants think that the students are not interested enough in recycling, yet 30% of them think that students at METU are hardly interested it. Furthermore, the last question shows that whereas 50% of them think that the administration is not concerned enough, only 20% of them think that administration takes an interest in METU.

There are a lot of recycling bins in dormitories and in the library. Many students throw to recycling bins used papers, glasses, plastics to reuse. Thanks to this, financial aid is provided for a great deal of scholarship students. The students instructed by a lot of protests, announcements, and placards. To illustrate, an activity was made by the students in the library. They painted recycling bins to attract attentions of the students.

Placard competitions made and stands was set in the spring fest. Thanks to this, the students are being become conscious and their interest in recycling is increasing.

Paper recycling workers known as the people who do sells the papers taken from garbage for living. In Ankara there are about 15000 and all over the country there around 300000 people in this sector. These workers collect paper amount of 300 between 250 kilos per day. Now think it wider, amount of the collected per daily garbage from all cities is about 50000tons. They affect greatly both the economy and the environment of Turkey. Because of these huge impacts, a conversation was made with paper recycling workers by environment community.

It is obvious that people have done many things and will continue since this issue is one of the greatest topics in this modern world.

RECYCLING AT METU ====Three main purposes of the Recycling Project at METU which started in 1995 are to collect solid contaminants separately, to raise scholarship and to make students conscious about recycling. There has been so many projects abuot recycling at METU. There are 500 recycling bins in dormitories and departments.====

However, there are some problems about using these bins. Some of them are:

 * ====Contaminants are not put in appropriate bins.====
 * ====Students throw their cigarettes at bins.====
 * ====Garbages are thrown in recycling bins.====
 * ====Napkins ,which cannot be recycled, are thrown in bins.====

Nevertheless, there are problems too. For example;

 * ====Garbages are thrown in outdoor recycling bins.====
 * ====Some employees take some contaminants such as can from outdoor recycling bins for their own use.====
 * ====Some people stick posters onto the bins.====

====Contaminants which are accumulate in outdoor recycling bins are collected by a vehicle which was previously used as a garbage conveyor. 300 ton contaminants have been recycled so far in this way and a lot of trees have been saved.==== ====Recycling volunteers at METU have been working on this project for two years. They think that both the students and the staff should develop awareness about recycling. It may take so much time to make everybody use those recycling bins but this project has already been started at METU and it will continue with works of 'Environmental Society' which can be model to other universities in Turkey.====