New signage has been placed above recycling and waste bins as part of a recent sustainability initiative to improve the quantity and accuracy of recycling on Iowa State’s campus. The new posters can primarily be found above recycling and trash bins located in the west and central areas of campus. In three different languages, they provide a quick overview of which items can and cannot be recycled.
Steve Kohtz, recycling services and special events coordinator for Iowa State, said he wanted to incorporate the new posters because he has noticed an educational need for proper recycling practices. “Iowa State vs. Ames are two different recycling options, and there’s also so many different things that can be recycled, so I was looking for a way to communicate what can actually go into recycling bins,” Kohtz said.
Kohtz said he is tracking the effectiveness of the posters in a study that will go through May 2024. To conduct the research, Kohtz is monitoring the recycling and waste practices in three separate sections of campus that each feature a different type of signage. At the end of the study, Kohtz plans to take the most successful poster design and add it to the solar compactors located throughout campus.