UC Davis Continues Tradition of Green Move-In Recycling Drive

DAVIS, Calif. (October 15, 2014) – The University of California, Davis, and Dart Container partnered to collect nearly 500 pounds of foam containers during the school’s annual green move-in recycling drive as students arrived at residence halls this fall. 

“Our aggressive recycling program and partnerships, such as the one we have with Dart, are critical to meeting the University’s mission of producing zero waste by 2020,” said Jenni Porter, sustainability coordinator for UC Davis Student Housing. “We are committed to completing the life-cycle of all products used on campus, and are excited to see so many of our students sharing in that commitment, year after year.” 

Now in its fifth year, the move-in recycling drive hit an all-time high, recycling more than more than 485 lbs. of foam – almost double last year’s collection. Once collected, the foam is transferred to Dart’s Lodi facility for processing, before being distributed to manufacturers that will use the recycled material to create premium picture frames and crown molding. 

In addition to foam recycling, students recycled more than 16,000 pounds of cardboard and were able to divert nearly 61 percent of waste from landfills. Once collected, the cardboard was sent to Recycling Industries in Sacramento to be recycled. 

Recyclable foam can be identified by the triangular chasing arrows with a #6 typically stamped at the bottom of a product. Products range from foam cups and foodservice containers, to the large molded blocks used to package electronics. 

“Dart Container is proud to partner with schools, such as UC Davis, to increase recycling and reduce landfill waste,” said Michael Westerfield, corporate director of recycling programs at Dart. “And while we were able to accomplish so much during move-in, we’re most excited to see these students learning more about recycling – the products and the services available to them every day.” 

Foam and other recyclable products were gathered Sept. 27 and 28, with a crew of more than 30 UC Davis recycling volunteers helping with the collection. 

For more examples of UC Davis leadership in sustainability, see: http://sustainability.ucdavis.edu

About Dart Container Corporation
Dart Container sets the industry standard of excellence by manufacturing high quality, affordable, and safe foodservice packaging made from bagasse (sugar cane), paper, and plastic (PET 1, PP 5, EPS 6, and PS6) while offering exceptionally reliable service and responsible environmental practices at the same time. Our portfolio of products offer a variety of positive environmental attributes for our customers to consider for their packaging needs.  Dart is also working to boost recovery rates of all the products we manufacture and is widely recognized as the industry leader in creating and promoting recycling opportunities for EPS foam #6. Dart is headquartered in Mason, Michigan. For more information, visit www.dart.biz, www.HomeForFoam.com, or call (800) 248-5960. 

About UC Davis
For more than 100 years, UC Davis has engaged in teaching, research and public service that matter to California and transform the world. Located close to the state capital, UC Davis has more than 33,000 students, more than 2,500 faculty and more than 21,000 staff, an annual research budget of nearly $750 million, a comprehensive health system and 13 specialized research centers. The university offers interdisciplinary graduate study and more than 100 undergraduate majors in four colleges — Agricultural and Environmental Sciences, Biological Sciences, Engineering, and Letters and Science. It also houses six professional schools — Education, Law, Management, Medicine, Veterinary Medicine and the Betty Irene Moore School of Nursing.