This year marks Urbana’s 25th anniversary for its U-Cycle recycling program.

Courtney Rushforth, recycling coordinator for Urbana, said the city’s comprehensive recycling program has two components for curbside residents and multifamily homes. The curbside aspect started in 1986 and is targeted toward single-family or four-unit housing, she said.

“It was one of the first programs in Illinois (for curbside recycling),” Rushforth said.

The multifamily feature of the recycling program is aimed at apartment tenants with five units or greater and was started in 1999. The city of Urbana has a $30 mandatory recycling tax as well, she said.

In 2010, the curbside recycling component collected 1,877 tons of recyclable materials, including paper materials, glass, cardboard, newspaper and aluminum cans. The multifamily part collected 772 tons of recyclables and the city has an overall 30 percent recycling rate, Rushforth said.

“And that helps lower the impact on natural resources,” she said. “We provide local jobs in the community for the recycling program.”

She added that PET plastic bottles like soda or water bottles, for example, can be utilized in different markets to be made into newly recycled carpeting materials mixed in with other fibers.

“You can do a lot of things with plastic,” Rushforth said. “You don’t have to put as much in a landfill.”

She said the Champaign program is set up differently because each city has an ordinance to govern their own recycling programs.

Angela Adams, recycling coordinator for Champaign, said in an email that the curbside component started in 1993. The multifamily part began in December 2010 and collected 61.5 tons of recyclables, which is equivalent to 123,000 pounds.

She said Champaign’s recycling initiative Feed The Thing is marketed toward the multifamily recycling program since it includes buildings with five or more units, shared housing, Greek housing, private certified dorms and homeless shelters.

“Any recycling is successful since we haven’t had an option for multifamily properties to (recycle at) their door,” Adams said.

Eric Green, member of Students for Environmental Concerns, or SECS, and graduate student, said the environmental group wanted to see Champaign adopt a recycling program for multifamily homes years ago.

“It was a big push for Champaign to adopt it,” Green said.

He said Feed The Thing is a mixed unit recycling bin that combines all recyclable goods into one place.

“They’re trying to reduce the barrier to recycling,” Green said. “It was a big step forward.”

Adams said there will be a Champaign City Council meeting on Dec. 13 reviewing the curbside recycling program and deciding whether to include different alternative features for collection and whether to provide recycling carts.

Green said the high four-year turnover in the student body makes it difficult to implement a sustainable, long-term mentality on recycling. He said he wants some sort of change and a push for the campus administration to make better decisions for the local environment and community.

“It’s taking the next step beyond recycling,” Green said.