New dorm recycling program sends unwanted items to Goodwill instead of landfill

As the school year comes to an end and students pack up and move out of the dorms to go home for the summer, items that can be recycled or donated are usually thrown out.

Southern Oregon University’s new Full Circle Recycling Program hopes to put a stop to that.

Full Circle will be partnering with Goodwill to set up donation stations near the regular recycling stations in each of the residence halls for students to donate whatever would normally be thrown away and end up in a landfill.

“Last year a student [Christina Becker] did a recycling program called Diversion Excursion, but this is the first time we have partnered with Goodwill,” said new Sustainability and Recycling Coordinator Roxane Beigel-Coryell.

The idea is to recycle or donate items that would normally be trashed, in an effort to reduce waste as much as possible.

“Goodwill can take almost anything except large appliances and recycling paper, cans, bottles, etcetera,” said Beigel-Coryell. “What most people don’t know is that Goodwill can take used underwear and ripped and stained clothing and recycle it.”

The event will be running from Wednesday, June 13 to Friday, June 15. Additional bins will be provided the weekends before and after finals week for students moving out at those times.

Those interested in volunteering for the event should contact Roxane Beigel-Coryell at beigelcod@sou.edu to sign up.

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