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In 1976, long before the , the Climate Action Plan or the SPIKE Center for Sustainability Education, a small group of passionate CU Boulder students ran a DIY recycling operation out of two decommissioned military trailers. Now, 50 years later, CU Boulder is celebrating the anniversary of campus recycling: a program that has evolved with the times and remains a powerful example of the partnership and collaboration that make real change possible.��

Students involved with the Environmental Center launched one of the first-of-its-kind campus recycling programs in the country. Volunteers collected newspapers and aluminum cans from across campus, sorting materials in a donated trailer, which were transported in retired school buses for processing.��

For more than 15 years, students sustained the effort without formal systems or facilities, driven purely by commitment and ingenuity.��

In 1991, the program reached a turning point when a partnership formed between students and Facilities Management, allowing it to grow through shared infrastructure. With support from �Թ��� James Corbridge, the university opened its first on-campus recycling facility, the Intermediate Processing Facility, in 1992.��

Since then, students have remained central to operations, sorting, upcycling and preparing recyclables for transport to diverse recycling markets.��

“The recycling operation at CU Boulder is a collaboration and group effort built on student dedication, and that’s what makes it special,” says Chris Herr, director of the Environmental Center. “Our teams, comprised of both students and Facilities Management staff, continue to innovate and improve together, keeping us moving toward our critical waste diversion and reduction goals.”��

The original recycling facility, located at Folsom Field, was demolished in 2014 to make room for the Champions Center. A new campus recycling facility, along with two new recycling trucks, became operational in 2015, marking the next phase of growth for the program.��

Fifty years later, that student-led effort has grown into��a nationally recognized collegiate recycling program, earning accolades and serving as a model for other institutions. CU Recycling now employs approximately 50 student staff members and engages around 100 volunteers each year. Over time, thousands of students have contributed to the program, advancing waste diversion efforts and supporting campus sustainability goals.��

“Joining CU Recycling in 2015 was an incredible experience,” says Angie Gilbert, assistant director of zero waste programs at the Environmental Center. “Walking into a one-of-a-kind campus processing facility on your first day is a zero-waste dream. The sustainability atmosphere at CU is electric. People here are serious about recycling. The story of the program is deep-rooted and charming, with years of grit that validate its impact.”��

One of the most recent examples of student passion turning into action is the push to eliminate single-use plastics on campus. In response to strong student advocacy, a push from CU Recycling and with support from departments across campus, university leadership took a major step forward through a��new pouring rights contract that eliminates single-use plastic beverage containers.��

“Embedding sustainability into campus operations is��a critical part of CU Boulder's leadership and ability to scale impact,��and recycling has been at the heart of that work for decades,” says Andrew Mayock, vice chancellor for sustainability.��

“Celebrating 50 years of student-led and campus-amplified recycling highlights how grassroots action can shape long-term systems, turning campus into a living testbed for solutions that reduce waste and inform broader sustainability efforts.”��

CU Recycling exists because students chose to act. Today, campus recycling efforts are more impactful than ever, powered by a student-led and campus-amplified approach. Every hand-sorted bottle, can and box contribute to 50 years of impact—a milestone worth recognizing and celebrating.��