University students have been able to recycle white paper since last semester, but until recently colored paper went in with the regular trash.

South Halls President Joe Milazzo has created a non-profit program that enables students in his area to recycle colored paper.

After asking the South Halls Council for permission, Milazzo purchased two regular garbage barrels from a local store to put in Redifer Commons and Atherton Hall. Milazzo said when the barrels fill up, they are taken to the Centre County Solid Waste Authority Recycling Center in Bellefonte. South Halls has not yet taken a delivery to the center, Milazzo said, because the barrels have not been filled.

Milazzo said the new program so far has received positive reaction but needs more publicity.

"People need to know what you can recycle and what you can't," he said, adding that students in South Halls are the first to implement such a program.

Students can recycle paper of any color, Milazzo said, but cannot recycle glossy paper or labels.

Lisa Emery (freshman-biology), a South Halls resident, said she is aware of the program, but hasn't recycled because she has not used any colored paper.

Emery said more people would probably participate in the program if more barrels were available.

"It would be great if they had them in the halls," she said.

But Darcy Sonick, South Halls Council executive assistant, said the barrels are near the area's mailboxes because a lot of mail and flyers are on colored paper.

Sonick said response to the program has been "positive enough to make it worth doing."

Students in West and Centre halls are considering similar programs.

West Halls President Scott Surdoval said the Earth and Mineral Science Interest House in Irvin Hall started a recycling program that it hopes to extend to all of West Halls.

Surdoval agreed West Halls needs the program because of the amount of colored paper used on bulletin boards. However, he said it is still in the planning stages.

Milazzo said he hopes other areas on campus also begin to recycle colored paper.

"It benefits the campus community and the environment as a whole," he said. "It's just a matter of awareness."