"We've cut down on the number of trash cans on each floor," Eckels said. "Where we keep the trash cans, we would have an equal-sized [recycling bin] that is no-sort."
There is one central recycling receptacle for roughly every 3,000 square feet in residence halls, said Gary Hill, director of facilities and grounds.
"We're trying to make [recycling] really easy, but everybody has to participate," Hill said.
Eckels said he sent an e-mail to the students living in each residence hall after the new program was installed in their respective halls.
"Each time you take a trip down the hall to throw something out, read the labels and choose the appropriate barrel for the items you're discarding," Eckels said in the e-mail to students. "In reality, the recycling barrel should need to be emptied at least three times as often as the trash barrel."
Eckels said he received many positive student responses to the program.
"It makes life a lot easier; makes it easier for [students] to make some good choices," Eckels said.
Facilities, Operations and Management instituted the zero-sort recycling program around the rest of campus but not in residence halls on June 20, Hill said.
Previously, the College's recycling rates were "quite low," Hill added.
"The biggest challenge was getting people to put the right things in the right containers," Hill said of the previous recycling system. "If it's contaminated, they'll reject it."
The College hopes that as a result of the program, 40 percent of waste will be recycled. In 2009, the overall recycling rate was 23 percent of waste, Hill said, although he added that recycling and waste management are both costly.
Hill predicts that the College will reach this benchmark by "this time next year," he said.
After comparing figures from July 2009 and July 2010, Hill said the College saw a small increase in the overall recycling rate.
The zero-sort recycling initiative has been met with a positive student response, Hill said.
"I think it definitely encourages people to recycle, and now they only have one [container]," McKenzie Bennett '13 said. "There's really no excuse not to recycle."
If effective, the program could also have far-reaching impacts on the environment, Jason Goodman '12 said. Goodman said he hopes the new policy will encourage more students to recycle.
"We're a big institution with a lot of students, so if we organize ourselves properly, we can help have a big impact on our environment," he said.
Although the zero-sort recycling program is more convenient for many students, some said they are still unsure of what to recycle.
"I get kind of confused about what's not supposed to go in them sometimes," Molly Wilson '13 said, adding that she is unsure if wax-covered paper cups can be recycled. "Maybe they should specify what doesn't go in there."
To avoid contaminating the zero-sort recycling bins with non-recyclable items, Hill recommends that students throw their waste in the garbage when they are uncertain.
"We'd rather see a couple of small things go in the trash that shouldn't than a whole load get contaminated," Hill said.
The zero-sort recycling program has been instituted in all of the College's buildings, and trash cans have been removed from all of the classrooms, Hill said.
"When you come out of a classroom, you should visually be able to see a recycling station," Hill said.
In an effort to increase sustainability, the College has replaced all of the garbage bins in offices across campus with 54-ounce trash pails, Hill said.
The smaller trash receptacles do not require garbage can liners which cost $90,000 annually and can be cleaned in a conventional sink, Hill said. This initiative will help the College reduce its carbon footprint and save roughly $20,000 per year, Hill said.
The College will also implement a composting program at the Collis Cafe that is similar to the one available at the Courtyard Cafe, Hill said.
