Of all the hassles Mark Brandau anticipated when he moved off-campus this fall, disposing of waste wasn’t one of them.
Instead of recycling paper and plastic like he was used to doing last year in the dorms, Brandau found himself tossing everything into the trash can.
“There really aren’t many clear (recycling) options, which is especially frustrating since there was a really good system in the dorms,” said Brandau, a Medill senior who lives on the 1600 block of Orrington Avenue.
Landlords and property management companies must provide tenants with recycling options if the apartment complex has four or more units, said Zeltee Edwards, superintendent of streets and sanitation for Evanston.
The city does not handle recycling for larger complexes. It’s up to individual landlords and property management companies to contract with a recycling provider, Edwards said.
“(Students) need to talk to the managers of their building if they want to get involved in the recycling program,” he said.
Edwards said it’s very possible some companies are not providing their tenants with recycling services.
“They don’t send the recycling police to check on you,” he said.
Students who find their apartments short on recycling options can drop off their recyclables at the City of Evanston’s recycling center, 2222 Oakton. St. The center is open Friday through Sunday.
Tiffany Grobelski, co-coordinator of campus environmental group Students for Ecological and Environmental Development, said her organization in the past has tried to ensure landlords provide their tenants with recycling.
“It should be the landlord’s responsibility to follow through the ordinances,” said Grobelski, a Weinberg junior.
Grobelski, who lives off campus, said she simply brings her recyclables to campus.
“A lot of students either drop off their recycling on campus or they just don’t recycle,” Grobelski said. “A lot of people who are living off-campus have the desire to recycle, but they don’t know what their options are.”
On-campus recycling manager Julie Cahillane said it’s fine if students bring small amounts of recyclables to the campus recycling bins. But Cahillane recommends students use the city’s drop-off center if they have entire household’s worth of recycling.
Although some apartment complexes don’t offer recycling, Sheldon Kantoff, properties manager for Parliament Enterprises Ltd., said his company’s buildings are environmentally friendly.
“We have recycling bins at all our buildings and they’re regularly kept up,” said Kantoff, whose company owns about 10 apartment complexes near campus.
Allison Werner said she delivered her recyclables to the city’s site last year until she discovered she only needs to place her recyclables in a clear or blue bag that she threw into the dumpster. The sanitation company her apartment contracts with then sorts through the bags.
“I think recycling is important, and I don’t think it’s that hard to do,” said Werner, a Medill senior who lives off campus. “I think (the city) would be surprised with the outcome if it was more accessible. Most people want to recycle.”
Reach Yuxing Zheng at [email protected].
