Ball State wins Indiana recycling award

Governor's Awards Honor 17 for Excellence in Recycling

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A large concrete recycling project is attracting the attention of building officials at colleges and universities throughout the state.

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On the eve of Earth Day 2000, Ball State University is reconstituting its Green Committee to build on the past decade’s environmental successes on campus.

Ball State wins Indiana recycling award (5/16/2000)

Tom Smith and Mike Planton explain how these old wooden chests taken from a Ball State residence hall will be ground and used as compost, rather than carted off to a landfill. (Nancy Prater photo)

MUNCIE, Ind. - Gov. Frank O'Bannon has awarded Ball State University the 2000 Governor's Award for Excellence in Recycling for its reuse of 4,150 tons of construction and demolition debris.

Ball State is the only higher education institution in Indiana to win one of the awards given in 17 categories. Ball State's award was in the category of non-traditional waste projects.

The award recognizes the work by Facilities Planning and Management staff to recycle concrete block, metals, wood, wire, brick, soil, doors, plumbing, gypsum board and a variety of other materials during demolition and construction projects.

"Sure, it would be a lot easier to haul all of those cumbersome materials to the landfill," says Mike Planton, superintendent of landscape services. "But Ball State wouldn't be seeing the benefits from the extra effort."

Besides the $153,000 saved in landfill fees, pieces of old furniture and other wood objects are ground for use as compost, a constant need on Ball State's 955-acre campus. Old pieces of concrete are crumbled and used to build new parking lots. Metals are separated from demolition materials and sold to recyclers. Mounds of soil dug up during construction are turned into landscaped berms. Usable objects, such as doors and lighting fixtures, are salvaged and auctioned.

"The financial benefits are nice, but Ball State is also trying to be an example to other universities. We want to show them that this is feasible," said Tom Smith, director of facilities management.

Being a role model is important, said Smith, as Ball State is the founder and host for "Greening of the Campus," an international conference challenging colleges and universities to be more environmentally sensitive. The most recent conference, held last fall, attracted 200 registrants from 32 states and five other countries.

For the governor's award, a review committee evaluated and selected each applicant based on the description, innovation, measurable results and comprehensiveness of projects. The award is sponsored by the Indiana Department of Environmental Management.

By Nancy Prater, Web Editor

(NOTE TO EDITORS: For more information, contact Mike Planton by e-mail at mplanton@bsu.edu or by phone at (765) 285-5092.)