Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Hanna Lee
INTS 401
April 26, 2017
This study investigates the recycling process of how discarded items are revalued and
how companies ultimately profit off of student’s environmental concerns and the recycling
infrastructures at Texas A&M University. People are driven to recycle for many different reasons
and, depending on the country, people, and environment, recycling is emphasised and/or ignored
at various levels. For example, top recycling countries like Germany and Austria’s recycling rate
is over 60 percent while the United States’ recycling rate only reaches around half of that.
According to a report from the Environmental Protection Agency, in 2013, there was about 254
million tons of municipal solid wastes (MSW) generated in the US, which is about 4.4 pounds
per person per day. However, Americans recycle only 34 percent of the MSW they create.
Despite the lower recycling rate, the recycling industry within the United States generates nearly
$105.81 billion annually in economic benefits. Thus in order to investigate the relationship
between recycling and its economic benefits, we analyzed the recycling process and the control
and final destination of the flow of profits from recycling. This study was conducted on Texas
A&M campus and the Bryan-College Station area throughout a semester-long period involving
interviews and data research with Texas A&M Department of Utilities & Energy Services,
Brazos Valley Recycling, and other sources including published reports, scholarly articles, and
documentaries. As a result of this project, research analysis, field data, and statistics bolsters the
idea that the companies within the recycling industry economically benefit from student’s
Methods
The type of research that was used in this study is qualitative research and quantitative
research. This research focuses on the recycling process and statistics as well as the intentions
and reasons behind each step and decision. This study was done through interviews and data
research gathered from both the Texas A&M campus and the Bryan-College Station area in order
to lead us to how the recycling wastes get repurposed. On March 31st, my research partner and I
commenced our research to trace the recycling system at the Memorial Student Center where we
talked to custodians from SSC Service Solutions, who are in charge of picking up the recycle
bins, about the recycling pickup schedule and next destination of the wastes. Their response
directed us to the Dock behind the MSC, where custodians accumulate and compile the recycled
items into one of the many dumpster scattered on campus. At the Dock, we talked to the
Warehouse and Shipping Manager, who toured us around where items, such as cardboard,
plastic, paper, and compost, were stored until they were scheduled to be transported by the Texas
On April 3rd, my partner and I visited the Texas A&M Department of Utilities and
Energy Services office to interview the Recycling Coordinator and the Special Project
Coordinator. At the site, we had the opportunity to observe recycling infrastructures such as
recycling bins, the on-site dumpsters, drop off locations, and the transportation trucks used to
effectively and efficiently implement the recycling system at Texas A&M University. They also
revealed that their team of employees is in charge of collecting all the recycled materials from
many different dumpsters, including the dumpsters all over campus and in the Bryan/College
Subsequently, on April 7th, we visited the Brazos Valley Recycling facility to interview
the General Manager about the process of weighing, classifying, separating, baling, and,
ultimately, selling the recycled items to companies offering the highest price for the items. We
were guided to observe each section of the facility that was divided by each material such as the
paper recycling section, plastic recycling section, cardboard recycling section, wood recycling
section, metals recycling section, food compost recycling section and a few others. Along with a
more expansive explanation of the process of each item and how they are revalued, we also
collected statistics and data from the Office Manager at Brazos Valley Recycling to analyze
more thoroughly.
Additionally, to further interpret, explain, and support all the data gathered from our field
research, my research partner and I emailed the top five recycling universities and seven lower
ranked universities listed on Recyclemania, which is a friendly benchmarking tool for university
recycling programs to promote waste reduction activities. Out of to the universities, Rutgers
University (#1) and Purdue University West Lafayette (#4) replied to our inquiries about their
motivation, impact, and outlook on recycling on their specific campuses. Lastly, other sources
including published reports, scholarly articles, and documentaries were also used to support this
study.
Recycling is defined as “to alter or adapt for new use without changing the essential form
or nature.” In this definition, the act of recycling can be traced back to Athens in 400 BC where
metals were melted and reused. Recycling finally reached the United States in the 1690s and the
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highlight in the history of recycling was during World War II when universal, massive
campaigns were disseminated throughout the nation to collect materials in order to save money
for war efforts. Thereafter, in the 1970s, Earth Day was established which annually celebrates
the birth of the modern environmental movement on April 22nd. However, Times Magazine
states, “Rather than recycling in order to get the most out of the materials, Americans began to
recycle in order to deal with the massive amounts of waste produced...in short, recycling stopped
being a way for consumers to get more from their purchases and became something that cost
people money or at least time.”(Waxman, 2016) In other words, the reasons for recycling had
transformed and shifted toward a negative direction by the 1970s. So, if present-day recycling is
costing people time and money, what compels people to recycle? Additionally, majority
employees, recycling companies, different university recycling managers answered and believes
that everyone benefits. However, does everyone benefit? And if so, then who essentially benefits
the most?
importances and an importance to people. From the environmental viewpoint, “recycling helps to
reduce pollution such as harmful chemicals and greenhouse gasses, prevents deforestation as it
reduces the need for raw materials, and requires much less energy to make products out of
recycled material, thus preserving natural resources.” Additionally, from the viewpoint of
humanity, “recycling can also reduce financial expenditure in the economy, clear up space as
wastes are taken away from landfills, and preserve natural resources for future generations.”
(recycling-guide.org) However, the reasons are easily altered and diverted during the practice
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and carrying out of the recycling process to serve and satisfy recycling companies’ reasons for
Recycling Services emerged at Texas A&M University in 1990 when the Texas
The recycling system developed and became more defined through the establishment of an
official, effective system in 1994. According to the Texas A&M Recycling Coordinator, the
recycling at Texas A&M starts from the decision of the students choosing to recycle their
recyclable wastes into the recycle bins scattered around campus. However, what we found was
that what happens after to the recycled soda can, paper, or water bottle is largely unknown to the
student. Texas A&M recycling system collectively consists of transporting recycled wastes to
Brazos Valley Recycling, the sorting and selling of wastes to private companies offering the
highest price for the material, and selling the wastes again to their respective destinations, such
as paper to a paper mill, plastic to be processed to be polyester for clothes, or food compost to be
made into fertilizer. Tracing the recycling process at Texas A&M University, we see that the
decisions and steps in the recycling process are essentially unknown and out of the student’s (the
recycler’s) control. The process, practice, and final destination of the materials the student chose
to recycle for their concern for the environment or for humanity is displaced from their control,
and thereafter are forced to entrust the system to properly recycle the wastes and fulfill their
concerns. Texas A&M University recycling may have a diversion rate of 65-70% and Brazos
Valley Recycling may recycle around 88% of the 350 tons of recycled items received, but the
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recycler, however, virtually loses control of the decisions affecting the flow of profit and
Plastic, in particular, is a pivotal recyclable material that reveals the flow of profit and
economic benefit because plastic, unlike other materials, can never be completely demolished. In
other words, the recycling of plastic provides companies and recycling industries access to an
endless life cycle in the recycling of plastics and ultimately, the reaping of an endless supply of
profit. To further clarify, specify, and explain the recycling of plastic at Texas A&M University,
the system starts from the recycler's choice to recycle the plastic, from there Brazos Valley
Recycling gathers profit from recyclers for the transportation and disposing of the plastic, next,
BVR separates, bales, and once again, gathers profit from companies offering the highest price
for the baled plastic. Lastly, the private companies wash, grind up, melt the plastic into pellets in
order to collect a greater profit by selling the pellets to be made into polyester materials such as
clothing, doll stuffing, and carpet in international places such as China. According to
Worldwatch Institute statistics, “the global plastic industry generates revenue about $600 billion
annually.” (Gourmelon, 2015) In other words, the recycling industry, that involves many
circulation of discarded objects. But in narrowing our focus on to Texas A&M University and
the College Station area, we can observe and affirm through the circulation of items and cycle of
connected destinations that the Texas A&M recycling system is essentially its local incarnation.
Conclusively, the plastic recycling system at Texas A&M University reveals how recycling can
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be seen as a plan made by recycling industries and companies to make profit out of our trash and
our contribution. The underlying manipulation of people and students on campus is disguised by
attaching reasons to recycle such as recycling for the environment or for humanity, when in
Discussion
The fact that by the 1970s, Americans’ reason to recycle were to deal with the massive
amounts of waste produced, costing people money and time, reminded me of the documentary,
Garbage Dreams, which depicts a different perspective revealing that many Egyptians’ reasons
and needs for the recycling of wastes and recycling infrastructures are for survival. These two
realities show the contrast between the relationship between citizens and their relation to wastes.
The United States of America, a capitalist, production, and consumer based society consisting of
financially stable citizens, views wastes as something useless, unnecessary, and needing to be
demolished. However, on the other hand, Egyptians view wastes as a source of income, hope for
the future, and a necessity for survival. Both views of the wastes shape their reasons and drive in
recycling.
Additionally, the idea of how the recycling industry and private companies reap the
benefits while also controlling the flow of profit from student’s recycling wastes at Texas A&M
University reminded me of the article, Wastelandia, which introduces Ghana’s public toilet and
the entrepreneur, M, whose pursuit of infrastructural dominion involved building his authority
upon bodily outputs. The recycling industry and private companies’ authority parallel M’s
authority as human wastes, either bodily outputs or recyclable wastes, are being used to establish
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control and dominion. Both establishment of authority and control was achieved through a series
of implementing infrastructures into the area for the citizens and students to use. Once again
these relate because they are both disguised manipulation of seeming to help the people and
promote concerns for a better life, but in reality both are using the wastes of others for their
personal gain.
Furthermore, the recycling process of plastic that starts at Texas A&M University
campus, then goes to Brazos Valley Recycling in College Station, then, to multiple companies
within the United States that process the plastic to little pellets, and then to international places
all over the world such as China that transform the pellets into polyester for other uses, reminded
me of the reading, Travels of a T-shirt in the Global Economy: an Economist Examples the
Market, Power, and Political of world trade, where the production of a T-shirt from cotton,
distribution, and consumption is found all over the world, reaching many different countries. The
production of a T-shirt starts at a local cotton farm in Texas, then ultimately, also makes it way
to international places such as China that processes the cotton to fabric and clothing, and then to
be sold back to the United States or other countries around the world. Once again these relate
because the process of the recycling of plastic and the production and distribution of a T-shirt are
both a global phenomenon of circulation. Not only does this apply to the recycling process of
plastic, but also to all discarded, recyclable items where the recycling industry as a whole can be
exemplified within the recycling process at Texas A&M University through the circulation of
items and cycle of connected destinations, the Texas A&M recycling system is essentially its
local incarnation.
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Conclusion
In conclusion, this study investigated the recycling process of how discarded items are
revalued and how companies ultimately profit off of student’s environmental concerns and the
recycling infrastructures at Texas A&M University. Firstly, although many recyclers’, including
students at Texas A&M University, initial reasons for recycling are for the concern of the
environment and humanity, these reasons can easily be altered and diverted during the practice
and carrying out of the recycling process to serve and satisfy company’s reasons for economic
benefit and profit. Secondly, because the process, practice, and final destination of the recycled
material are unknown to the recyclers, this results in a loss of control of the decisions affecting
the flow of profit and economic benefit from the recycling process. Lastly, specifically focusing
on the recycling process of plastic, which has an endless recycling life cycle unlike other
materials, allows the recycling industry and companies to reap an endless supply of profit, which
reveals how recycling can be seen as a plan made by recycling industries and companies, who
disguise the underlying manipulation of people and students on campus by attaching reasons and
persuading them to recycle, to make profit out of our trash and our contribution to recycling.
Overall, independent companies within the recycling industry economically benefit from
student’s environmental concerns and the recycling infrastructure at Texas A&M University.
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Bibliography
"A Brief History of Recycling." A Brief History of Recycling - American Disposal. N.p., n.d.
"History of Recycling." All- Recycling -Facts.com. N.p., n.d. Web. 22 Apr. 2017.
Waxman, Olivia B. . "America Recycles Day 2016: A Brief History of Recycling." Time. Time,
"Recycling is Important." Recycling Guide. N.p., 14 Feb. 2008. Web. 24 Apr. 2017.
Garbage Dreams. Dir. Mai Iskander. N.p., 31 July 2009. Web. 26 Apr. 2016.
Rivoli, Pietra. 2015. The Travels of a t-shirt in the global economy: an economist examines the
markets, power, and politics of world trade. Hoboken, NJ: John Wiley & Sons.
Gourmelon, Gaelle. "Global Plastic Production Rises, Recycling Lags." Vital Signs: Global
Trends That Shape Our Future. Worldwatch Institute, 27 Jan. 2015. Web. 5 May 2017.