Updated Feb. 28, 11:00 p.m.

A University student recorded a phone video of a waste management truck mixing garbage and recyclables at Nicholson Gateway on Feb. 14.

Political science senior Robin-Renee Keys, who recorded the video, said she believes the University does not recycle because there are not many recycling plants left in Baton Rouge. She started recording the incident on her phone as soon as she saw the truck arrive at the dumpsters.

Nicholson Gateway has a partnership between the University and a company named RISE. Waste and recycling services at Nicholson Gateway are not part of the LSU contract. 

“He [the truck driver] went to the green dumpster first, and then I knew what was about to happen, so that is why I recorded it,” Keys said.

Keys once asked a University employee how often recyclables are picked up, and the answer surprised her.

“I have heard that they only do it [pick up recyclables] once a week, or once every two weeks,” Keys said.

Executive Director of Facility & Property Oversight Tammy Millican said the University has Republic Services on contract for garbage and recyclables pickup for the next five years. However, Millican confirmed the truck in Keys’ video belongs to Pelican Waste & Debris, the University’s previous garbage and recycling service vendor. RISE currently uses Pelican Waste to service the Nicholson Gateway area.

Millican said multiple types of recyclables are put into the green bins around campus, which Republic collects and brings to a recycling material recovery center.

“The schedule of the frequency of pickups depends on the site,” Millican said. “Smaller, more remote sites are serviced once a week. It really just depends on the building.”

Millican said Republic brings the recycling materials to the Recycling Foundation, a recycling material recovery facility. However, trash is sent to the East Baton Rouge Parish North Landfill. The University receives receipts detailing the weight of recyclables each month, which allows the University to evaluate the amount of recyclables leaving campus.

“All recycling materials go to the recycling facility, and we receive monthly weight tickets that detail the tonnage of the commingled recycling we send,” Millican said. “We have looked at those numbers, and they remain consistent over time, so the recycling is being brought to that facility each time.”

According to Millican waste and recycling services at Nicholson Gateway location are not part of the LSU contract. The truck that can be seen in Key’s video belongs to Pelican Waste. 

“We sent the video and the news story to RISE and they were just as upset as we were when we reviewed it,” Millican said. “They are contacting Pelican to address what is believed to be an isolated incident.”

Although the truck responsible for mixing trash and recyclables does not belong to the LSU contracted waste company, Millican and her team sent the video to Republic as a reminder that LSU takes recycling seriously. 

“Incidents such as the one captured on video will not be tolerated,” said Millican. 

Millican encouraged anyone who may witness a similar incident in the future to report it to Campus Sustainability so the issue can be promptly resolved. 
This story will be updated as more information becomes available.