LEXINGTON, Ky. — As University of Kentucky students prepare to leave campus for the summer, the university is urging them to recycle and donate unwanted items rather than discard them during finals week. The Give and Go donation initiative has placed collection bins in residence hall lobbies and participating fraternity and sorority houses to facilitate the process, according to university officials.

During finals week, May 4-8, UK Grounds staff will station themselves near outdoor compactors at each residence hall from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. to help students sort move-out items and reduce waste. Additional special collection bins will be positioned near the compactors and in Greek Park to handle donations and mattress toppers, a category the program is highlighting for the first time.

The initiative addresses a significant problem on college campuses. Studies indicate that U.S. colleges generate over 230 tons of move-out waste annually, with the average student producing roughly 640 pounds of solid waste per year, most of it during the end-of-semester rush.

Items accepted in the program include cardboard, paper and plastics for recycling; mattress toppers for special collection; and clothing, household items and nonperishable food for donation. All donations will be distributed to UK Recycling's partners: The Thrifty Cat, the Big Blue Pantry and Goodwill, ensuring collected items support the local community.

In spring 2025, the Give and Go initiative collected a record 31,110 pounds of donations and recyclables, marking the second year of enhanced participation from Greek houses. The program has collected more than 79 tons of donations since 2016.

UK's recycling efforts align with the university's broader goal of becoming a zero-waste campus by 2030, which would mean diverting 90 percent of all waste from landfills. Ryan Lark, UK's zero-waste specialist, emphasized that strategic partnerships and student participation drive meaningful environmental change on campus.