New program sorts through College trash
After years of planning and some initial delays, the College has initiated an effort to separate its garbage into usable compost and actual trash. As part of the plan, College students and officials have color-coded dining hall garbage cans and added extra garbage cans to residence hall bathrooms. Dartmouth Recycles Intern Nicholas Dankers '01 said the composting project is the result of years of lobbying that brought a new composting facility to the old Hanover dump site. Director of Dartmouth Recycles Bill Hochstin said the facility received its first load of compostable garbage on August 3, after a series of trial runs over the course of the Summer Term. "I couldn't be more pleased with how it's working," Hochstin said. Dankers said the program will "profoundly alter the amount of trash we leave behind us every day and will keep nutrients local." He said the compostable garbage will be converted into a nutrient-rich dirt for use at the Dartmouth Organic farm, local soccer fields and private landscapers. Dankers said the College could potentially reduce 50 percent of its waste by recycling and composting. Hochstin said students have reacted positively to the program so far, and that the first load of garbage from Thayer Dining Hall was extremely well-sorted. Nonetheless, Dankers said it is very important that students sort their trash correctly. "The program is very susceptible to contamination," he said.