Greenwaste

San José State University is situated on 154 acres between the main and south campuses. Much of this acreage is comprised of landscaped grounds that require year round attention. Recycling programs are in place to recover the trimmings that are generated during maintenance efforts.

Areas maintained throughout the campus range from large athletic fields to small pockets of grass in between buildings. The vast majority of turf is grasscycled (cuttings are left directly on the lawn to breakdown into the soil), leaving over 500 tons of grass clippings in place annually that do not have to be collected.

Tree trimmings, leaves, brush, and street sweepings are brought to the recycling areas located behind the Central Plant Building on main campus, and at the old Spartan Village location at South Campus, and loaded into roll-off containers placed specifically to collect green waste for processing.

Where Does It Go?

Green waste from San José State University is taken to a facility approximately 30 miles away where it is shredded and composted.

Did You Know?

Lawns can generate 300 pounds of grass clippings per 1000 square feet annually - as much as 6 1/2 tons per acre each year! Grass clippings are too valuable to throw away, as they add beneficial organic matter to the soil, providing a natural fertilizer to produce healthy, green lawns. Grasscycling also reduces mowing time since the bagging and disposal of clippings is eliminated.

Source: CIWMB Grasscycling