RecycleMania
RecycleMania is a friendly competition and benchmarking tool for college and university
recycling programs to promote waste reductionactivities to their campus 
communities. Over an 8-week period each spring, colleges across the United States
and Canada report the amount of recycling and trash collected each week and are in
turn ranked in various categories based on who recycles the most on a per capita basis,
as well as which schools have the best recycling rate as a percentage of total waste
and which schools generate the least amount of combined trash and recycling. Read more and check out the 2013 competition results.
2013 Competition
In 2013, RecycleMania ran from February 3 to March 30. We improved our campus recycling rate again: the recycling rate over the 8-week competition period increased to 26.73%, an increase of 2.95% from 2012 (see below). The winner of this year's competition is UMKC (University of Missouri at Kansas City) with a recyling rate of 86.01%.
Here are the 2013 weekly totals:
| Weeks | Co-Mingled Recyclables* (lbs) | Food Waste (lbs) |
Recycling Total (lbs) |
Waste to Landfill (lbs) |
Recycling Rate# (%) |
Ranking# |
| 1 | 30,739 | 5,065 | 35,804 | 82,860 | 27.06 | 151/277 |
| 2 | 31,297 | 4,325 | 35,622 | 83,480 | 27.48 | 123/228 |
| 3 | 21,417 | 4,833 | 26,250 | 60,960 | 27.09 | 141/251 |
| 4 | 25,443 | 4,833 | 30,276 | 72,320 | 26.84 | 148/257 |
| 5 | 33,694 | 4,630 | 38,324 | 82,720 | 27.30 | 148/263 |
| 6 | 26,497 | 4,595 | 31,092 | 71,100 | 26.11 | 160/266 |
| 7 | 29,648 | 4,020 | 33,668 | 94,280 | 25.75 | 162/269 |
| 8 | 37,058 | 4,170 | 41,228 | 74,080 | not published | not published |
| Totals | 235,793 | 34,471 | 272,264 | 621,800 | 26.73 | 153/273 |
* cardboard, mixed paper, newspaper, magazines, phonebooks, plastic, aluminum and steel/tin cans, glass
#as published by RecycleMania
K-State RecyleMania Results 2009 to 2012
Since 2009, K-State participates in this friendly, national competition and we continue to show improvements in our recycling efforts.
| Year | Overall Recycling Rate (%) | Recyclables (lbs/person) | Total Recyclables (lbs) | Waste to Landfill (lbs) | Ranking among participating Schools |
| 2009 | 20.8 | 6.61 | 193,936 | 929,800 | 214 out of 293 |
| 2010 | 16 | 5.62 | 177,077 | 922,660 | 272 out of 346 |
| 2011 |
19.34 (compare to 79.69*) |
7.02 | 174,960 | 743,462 | 261 out of 364 |
| 2012 |
23.78 (compare to 85.16*) |
8.91 |
291,756 (337,215**) |
704,400 | 173 out of 266 |
| 2013 |
26.73 (compare to 86.01%*) |
KSU did not enter into the per Capita competition this year | 272,264 | 621,800 | 153 out of 273 |
*winning university/college ** K-State generated number
See specific K-State RecycleMania data for 2009, 2010, 2011 and 2012
How can you help?
Several K-State groups are currently participating in the program; SEA (Students for Environmental Action) and the K-State Greeks Going Green Campaign. You are welcome to join their efforts or even start your own.
Here is what you can do...
- Request desk-side recycling bins (if you don’t have them already) by calling Facilities at 532-6446 or e-mailing recycles@ksu.edu
- Place recycling receptacles next to your copy machines
- Use existing recycling bins in your building, at the rec center and on campus. New bin racks have been placed around campus especially for RecycleMania.
- Practice the 3-R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
What is being recycled as part of RecycleMania?
- Mixed Paper - such as white, colored, glossy paper, index cards, computer paper
- Magazines
- Phone Books
- Cardboard
- Newspaper
- Plastic containers, #1 trough #7
- Aluminum cans
- Glass bottles
- Tin/steel cans
- Food Waste - food prep waste collected from Housing and Dining Services used for compost
- E-Waste - computers, printers, screens, keyboards, CDs, DVDs, and most portable media