The Rebel Recycling program is housed in the UNLV Environmental Studies Department. Since its inception in July 1995, the Rebel Recycling Program has expanded collection of recyclable materials and continues to grow. We are a young program and we are taking incremental steps towards our goal of recycling a significant portion of UNLV's waste. We are continually increasing our efforts to divert high volumes of materials from the waste stream by closing the REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE loop.

Below is quick history of where we have been. Look for amazing accomplishments from us in the future.

• 1991

  An undergraduate Environmental Studies major, Tara Pike, started a thesis to analyze the potential of having a recycling program at UNLV.

• 1992

  Silver State Disposal, an off-campus entity, and UNLV Facilities Management initiate a recycling program. The program is primarily set up for faculty and staff. Approximately 50 ninety-six gallon totters are placed on the campus to collect commingled paper and aluminum. No direct funding was required for start-up. The program was a joint effort between Grounds, Facilities Services and Silver State. Custodial crews removed the totters from the building one night per week. Silver State collected the material in the morning and grounds crews return the totters to the buildings. The average amount of materials collected by Silver State was 2 to 2.5 tons per week. Because of the commingling of materials, a large amount of trash was also collected in the totters. The composition of the recyclable materials is unknown.

  Tara Pike changed her thesis to "An Improved Recycling Program for UNLV" and begins analyzing the potential for improvement of the UNLV/Silver State Program.

• 1993

  Tara Pike conducted a waste stream assessment of two buildings (Flora Dungan Humanities and Frank and Estelle Beam Hall) at UNLV as part of her thesis. These "dumpster dives" received media coverage.

  A survey question was added to the Spring 1993 Consolidated Student Union (CSUN) elections. The opinion question asked students if they were willing to pay one dollar per semester to improve recycling on campus. The question passed 3:1. Students Conscious Of Protecting the Environment (SCOPE) helped campaign for the question by handing out "edible flyers" or cookies with recycling symbols on them.

• 1994

  Tara Pike completes her thesis. A proposal is written and sent to the UNLV Board of Regents asking for the initiation of a $1.00 per student per semester fee at UNLV.

• 1995

  February 1995, Tara Pike presented her proposal to the Board of Regents and the initiative passes 10 to 1. Stephanie Bioxo, Student Body President, supported the fee by saying "I can't think of a better way to spend a dollar".

  The Rebel Recycling Program officially began in July 1995. Originally the purpose of the program was to increase recycling on campus through education. The program held educational events and increased signage and advertising about the Silver State Program The program also tried to increase the amount and variety of materials collected. Seven cardboard dumpsters were added to the campus. The Dining Commons saves approximately $5,000 per year in garbage costs by recycling cardboard (They had three garbage dumpsters. By recycling cardboard, they reduced the number of garbage dumpsters to two). The Dining Commons also started recycling food waste with the help of RC Pig Farm.

• 1996

  In Spring 1996, the Rebel Recycling Program increased the number of totters on campus by 33%. We reviewed the location of the original toters and recommended more toters for student use. Approximately 35 toters were added to the campus. Silver States per week recycling tonnage went from 2.5 to 3 or 3.5 tons.

  Rebel Recycling Program started a Move-In program to collect the enormous quantities of cardboard generated by the 1,000 students. The first program was a collaboration with Silver State Disposal. Many problems occurred, including failure of Silver State to pick-up the containers in a timely manner. At least 18 or more cubic yards of cardboard were collected over the weekend.

  September 23, 1996 - Rebel Recycling sets up a recycling program in the Residence Halls to collect aluminum and plastic.

  August 1996 - Silver State started charging for the cardboard dumpsters on campus. The charge was $50 per dumpster per month. The fee was paid by the Facilities Management Department. Rebel Recycling started planning an in-house cardboard recycling program.

• 1997

  Rebel Recycling started a Spring Move-Out program at the Residence Halls. We collected reusable materials and donated them to charity (235 pounds of clothing; 44 pounds of linen, pillows, towels and blankets; 42.5 pounds of shoes; and 32 pounds of miscellaneous items like stuffed animals, purses, belts, CDs, books, binders).

  Rebel Recycling decides to start recycling cardboard separate from Silver State. The plan was to increase the amount of cardboard being collected. As an on-campus entity, they felt they had better potential to recycle more cardboard than Silver State. The Rebel Recycling program did not intent to take-over the entire recycling effort.

  In March, Silver State decides to discontinue the UNLV recycling program. The Rebel Recycling Program leaped into action and developed an in house program. The beginning was very rough and chaotic.

  Summer - Biology graciously allowed the campus recycling program to use the Fish Farm as a processing yard. The program never would have survived through the summer without their cooperation. Rebel Recycling can never thank Biology enough.

  Fall 1997 - The Rebel Recycling Program hires its first crew of nine work studies students.

  September - UNLV Purchasing Department and Rebel Recycling started a Remanufactured Toner Cartridge Program .

• 1998

  Rebel Recycling gets two double-wide trailer and and its own processing yard.

  Rebel recycling receives a grant from the Nevada Division of Environmental Protection (NDEP) to expand the cardboard recycling program. The number of collection sites is going to triple and the amount of cardboard recycled should at least double.

  Two students decide to do waste management related theses. One is a waste management plan for the UNLV Residence Halls and the other is analyzing the potential to recycle UNLV's special waste such as fluorescent tubes, paints, pallets, batteries, etc..