Following a competitive request for proposals, JMU contracted Dave's Recycling in Harrisonburg, VA, to recycle plastic collected across campus. On-campus plastic collection is expanding this Fall Semester with placement of collection bins in Carrier Library for use by anyone in the campus community and in the residence halls for use by residents only. Bins from the pilot collection of plastics will remain for campus community use inside King Hall and Engineering/Geosciences Building; outdoors by Varner House, the Athletic Performance Center, Mr. Chips, and the D2 parking lot by the Phys/Chem Building; and at Shenandoah Hall, Wayland Hall, and Paul Jennings Hall for use by the residents of those halls only.
Campus collection bins labeled for plastic will accept plastic bottles, jars, jugs, cups, and tubs. Plastic containers may not be placed in deskside bins. Individuals placing only the correct materials bins is critical to the program's expansion and success. There cannot be any liquid or food left in the items being placed in the plastic collection bins. Dave's Recycling reports that if only the correct materials are placed in bins, the plastic collected at JMU will be recycled into spacers, which are durable alternatives to traditional wood or steel blocks used to maintain structural distance between highway guardrails and support posts. If incorrect items are placed in bins, the entire contents of the bin may be discarded and collection may cease.
Plastic wrap, bubble wrap, grocery bags, sandwich bags, and freezer bags cannot go in general plastic bins, and instead should be placed in select collection bins labeled "plastic bags and film" and processed through Trex. Full details for JMU recycling guidelines, including locations for plastic bag and film collection, are available on the FM Sustainability website. Questions may be emailed to rexrodjp@jmu.edu.
The campus-wide phase-in of expanded plastic recycling builds upon successful student-led projects, which were coordinated with a Facilities Management pilot program. Two Integrated Science and Technology students studied recycling in the three buildings as part of their 2023-2024 capstone project, “Improving JMU Students’ Recycling Behavior on Campus". In Summer 2025, informed by the capstone results, Institute for Stewardship of the Natural World staff updated all bins and signage in King Hall and the Engineering/Geosciences Building and added plastic recycling bins. ISNW Student Educators subsequently monitored recycling participation, particularly placement of items in the correct bins. In concert in 2025, FM added outdoor plastic collection bins in four locations and bins in three residence halls, with signage consistent between all locations. In response to recommendations from the pilot project, as space allows, plastic collection bins are being co-located with aluminum, paper, and trash bins to facilitate use of the correct bin.
Compostable items do not go in plastic bins and are not collected directly from individuals at JMU. A public collection container for compostable items is available at the Harrisonburg Farmer's Market. On campus, post-consumer food waste at the residential dining facilities D-Hall and E-Hall is collected from the dish returns by employees and sent to Black Bear Composting. Using a subaward from the Department of Environmental Quality, that service was recently expanded to be year-round.
