Tailgate recycling hits all-time highest rate

The Office of University Sustainability's Black & Gold & Green Tailgate Team scored a win with its recycling and education efforts at the Sept. 7 home football game.

The Black & Gold & Green Tailgate Team's student volunteers hand out recycling bags to Boilermaker fans at the entry gates to the tailgate areas at home football games. Tailgaters are asked to fill the bags with recyclable materials such as plastics, glass bottles, and aluminum cans, and then leave the bags in the tailgate areas for collection and recycling.

On Sept, 7, students achieved a diversion rate of 31.2 percent -- an all-time high and almost 13 points better than last season's high of 18.3 percent. The diversion rate is the percentage of waste diverted from the landfill calculated by weight.

Students also interacted with and educated fans about Purdue's tailgate and stadium recycling program and how they can help with the University's efforts.