Last year, Yale recycled and donated a record 1,440 tons. Some of these items stayed close to home. Sixty-five tons of leaves went to an industrial-sized composting operation you can see from Interstate 95 when crossing the bridge in West Haven. Much of the 44 tons of donated clothing and furniture went to non-profits right here in New Haven. Some of the clothing, via Salvation Army on Crown Street, made its way into an international market for secondary clothing and rags. If you gave us your old shirt last year it may be on the back of someone in a developing country right now.
Most of the recycling went first to local processors then off to distant markets. More than 500 tons of our cardboard boxes went to Marcus Paper of West Haven before being baled and trucked to factories here or abroad. Most is made back into cardboard. More than 500 tons of paper went from the New Haven Transfer Station to Willimantic, CT before being baled and sold. It will be made back into tissue paper, insulation, pizza boxes and cereal boxes. The next pizza you order could be boxed in the first draft of last year’s term paper. Cans and bottles (106 tons) are separated via a conveyor belt in Willimantic into the three colors of glass, two types of plastic and aluminum and steel/tin. Glass can be made into fiberglass insulation and used in asphalt. Plastics may return as other bottles, industrial plastic or even carpeting and fleece. Steel can go to cars and desks, aluminum to airplanes.
Recyclables placed into Yale’s trash cans go to Bridgeport, CT. There they are burned. New Haven is downwind from Bridgeport.
Does recycling make Yale money?
Markets for recyclables vary from month to month and year to year. In general Yale does not profit from the sale of paper and cans and bottle but does but did save approximately $33 for each ton of material sent to recycling instead of a trash-to-energy plant. Yale generally does make money off of the sale of corrugated cardboard to Marcus Paper in West Haven. Monthly market adjustments cause variations in price. On a good month Yale may make $30/ton. Because of improved technology Grounds Maintenance has been able to add recycling to its responsibilities while reducing its staffing in sanitation. Un-needed staff were transferred to other Grounds responsibilities while maintaining pay rate and benefits.
What's the difference between STEP and Yale Recycling?
STEP focuses on the residential colleges while Yale Recycling encompasses all campus buildings—office buildings, academic departments, etc.
Additional materials for your classroom or workplace