Deke Weaver, Professor in the School of Art & Design, requested a tour of the Waste Transfer Station, as well as asked the following questions: 

1. Do any of you have a rough estimate of how many plastic water bottles the U of I population goes through in a day (week, month, year)?

2. Would it be possible to collect a few of the plastic water bottles from the recycling center for this project?

Weaver is working on a public engagement piece about the oceans, climate, plastics and interconnected ecosystems and needs approximately 2500-4000 bottles. The project is a whale sculpture named CETACEAN. 

Shawn Patterson from Facilities & Services replied explaining that the waste transfer station acquires 2-3 thousand pounds of plastics each month and will be able to accommodate the professor's need for plastics.