Readership Program Recycling Efforts Benefit Scholarship Fund
Feb. 1, 2001
University Park, Pa. — Penn State's general scholarship fund is $22,750 richer, thanks to the recycling efforts for the Newspaper Readership Program at the University Park campus.

Since the inception of the readership program in 1997, 695 tons of newspapers (The New York Times, USA Today, Centre Daily Times and The Daily Collegian) have been recycled. Al Matyasovsky, operations supervisor for the Office of Physical Plant (OPP), has calculated the recycling capture rate to be around 65 percent. "This is an amazing number and makes the newspaper readership program the most successful recycling program on campus."

The recycled newspapers, collected by OPP, are marketed by Superior Waste Services of Du Bois, which donates a portion of the profits to the University's general scholarship fund. The New York Times, USA Today and Centre Daily Times offer matching contributions. "Although University Park is the only campus that is generating scholarship dollars, students at all Penn State campuses benefit from the scholarship money," says Matyasovsky.

Students at the University Park campus read a daily total of more than 7,000 copies of The New York Times, USA Today and Centre Daily Times. More than 1.5 tons of newspaper are recycled each day - twice as much as last year - and has produced enough material to cover the entire Beaver Stadium football field with newspapers 15 inches deep. It has also saved 11,815 trees and 2,085 cubic yards of landfill space, according to Matyasovsky.

William Asbury, vice president for student affairs, approached Matyasovsky before the readership program began, and asked if he had any concerns about the increased amount of newspapers on campus. Matyasovsky says he did express the need for an infrastructure and special process to collect this potentially large amount of papers. Surprisingly, OPP did not have to hire additional workers for the collection efforts. "Because of the reduced hauling time to the county recycling facility, we were able to adjust our schedules to utilize existing manpower," he says. "This, and process improvements, have satisfied the challenge of the additional papers."

OPP has taken addition steps to encourage participation in University Park's recycling efforts. Specially designed signage and posters are located throughout campus, and mouse pads with recycling information are in all campus computer labs. A 24-hour automated hotline with information on Penn State's recycling program is also available at (814) 865-8000.

The Newspaper Readership Program, initially offered to students living in campus residence halls at University Park and eight other campuses, was expanded last fall to offer free newspapers - The New York Times, USA Today and a daily paper from the local community - to all students at 20 Penn State campuses with undergraduate programs.

Contact: Amy Neil, Department of Public Information, at (814) 865-7517 or e-mail aen4@psu.edu.