UK Recycling sets record with more than 18 tons collected during move-out
As University of Kentucky students moved out of campus housing this spring, UK Recycling set a new benchmark for sustainability efforts — collecting a record 36,355 pounds (18.2 tons) of donations and recyclables through its 2026 move-out initiative.
The Give and Go donation drive, which helps divert gently used items from the landfill, hit a new high this year with 28,355 pounds donated, a 7% increase from 2025. The donations included 27,718 pounds of household items and 636 pounds of unopened food.
UK Recycling also collected about 8,000 pounds of used mattress toppers for recycling, marking a 41% increase over last year, which was the first time the program collected this commonly discarded item.
“This year’s results are a direct reflection of a campus culture increasingly embracing zero-waste practices,” said Ryan Lark, zero-waste specialist in Facilities Management. “Our students care about the environment and demonstrate that enthusiasm through their participation in our recycling and donation programs.”
UK Recycling, in partnership with UK Housing, has been organizing move-out donation efforts since the fall of 2016, beginning with small bins in residence halls. The program has evolved over the years, expanding to include partnerships with The Thrifty Cat, UK's first-ever free store for students which opened in the fall of 2025, Goodwill Industries of the Bluegrass and Fraternity and Sorority Life. This year marked the third year of fraternity and sorority house participation and the program expanded to include mattress topper recycling for on-campus houses.
“It is exciting to see the program grow each year,” said Erin Geibel, recycling coordinator in Facilities Management. “Our partnerships with the fraternity and sorority community have played a pivotal role in diverting thousands of pounds of items from the landfill. We are looking forward to seeing how this partnership continues to develop in the future.”
Since 2016, UK Recycling’s Give and Go initiative has collected 191,867 pounds (95.93 tons) of donations, not including mattress toppers. The goal is twofold: to reduce waste and to support the community. All food donations are distributed to the Big Blue Pantry, supporting students facing food insecurity, and clothing and household goods are donated to The Thrifty Cat and Goodwill Industries of the Bluegrass.
“As a university striving for zero-waste, this program demonstrates how by working together, students can make meaningful change on campus,” Lark said.
As the state’s flagship, land-grant institution, the University of Kentucky exists to advance the Commonwealth. We do that by preparing the next generation of leaders — placing students at the heart of everything we do — and transforming the lives of Kentuckians through education, research and creative work, service and healthcare. We pride ourselves on being a catalyst for breakthroughs and a force for healing, a place where ingenuity unfolds. It's all made possible by our people — visionaries, disruptors and pioneers — who make up 200 academic programs, a $1.02 billion research and development enterprise and a world-class medical center, all on one campus.
