The battery recycling program is being expanded to four locations across campus, for both rechargeable batteries and single-use alkaline batteries. Facilities & Services confirmed participation, developed a fact sheet and instructional kit for participating locations, and has committed to funding the program up to $10,000 each fiscal year. The containers for the program will be ordered in February.
Battery Recycling
Call2RecycleⓇ provides free collection boxes, pays for shipping, and accepts rechargeable Nickel Metal Hydride, Lithium Ion, and Small Sealed Lead batteries less than 11 lbs in weight. The Physical Plant Service Building began the Call2RecycleⓇ rechargeable battery and cell phone recycling program in October 2005. Rechargeable batteries are considered hazardous waste and must be recycled or disposed of according to EPA regulations. Facilities & Services has saved approximately $7,000 in disposal costs in the last six years.
SECS recieved funding from SSC for single-use battery recycling at the Union.
Reportedly, "The old student program at the Union collected 1600 pounds of batteries from April 2010 to February 2011 before it was suspended."
The goal of this project is to conduct a feasibility study regarding installing an open geothermal loop underneath the Illinois Sustainable Technology Center. The open geothermal loop would take water from one of the many nearby aquifers and only introduce heat into the system. The project will increase awareness of geothermal systems, determine the physical and chemical attributes of the aquifer, and study integrating the geothermal system with the current HVAC system. The ISTC hopes to decrease their energy use and greenhouse gas emissions by 25%-50%. The ISTC would test the procedure on this building, but hopes to extend it to other campus buildings. Thus, the Student Sustainability Committee is in favor of funding the full requested amount of $27,000.
The kickoff meeting for the ISTC geothermal study was led by Todd Rusk at ISTC on March 9, 2009. The agenda was 1) to discuss the overall project objectives, tasks, and requirements and 2) to begin preparations for drilling the test wells.
Participants included: Tom Abram, Eliana Brown, Kenneth Hlinka, Thomas Holm, Michael Jeffords, David Larson, Tim Lindsey, Kent Reifsteck, Bill Shilts, Douglas Walker, and Angela Wisehart.
