Refuse containers (dumpsters) located at the academic and residence hall building dock areas are emptied on a routine schedule according to building volume. Over 300 trash and approximately 150 ash urns/cigarette receptacles located throughout campus are emptied at least weekly and in some areas as often as daily. Campus litter is picked up as time is available.

Each week, Campus Services collects white paper from major academic and residence hall buildings for recycling. Campus Services is involved with recycling of other materials including pallets, scrap metal, auto batteries, tires, used oil, and lawn waste. For more information on recycling go to http://www.fpm.iastate.edu/Recycling/.  Campus Services also provides a confidential paper collection service to requesting departments.

During the winter months, FP&M Campus Services provides snow and ice removal as conditions warrant for 23 miles of institutional roads, 34 miles of sidewalks and bike paths, and 162 acres of parking lots. Campus Services also provides snow and ice removal at the ISU Center for event parking.

The campus is divided into routes and the crews make use of various equipment including a road grader, loaders, trucks with plows, tractors with plows or brooms, sanders, and hand shoveling of doorways, steps, and small walkways. To improve visibility, all of the equipment has amber warning flashers and backup alarms. Snow and ice removal is handled to the best of our abilities considering the availability of personnel and equipment.

We have one supervisor on call at all times (24/7) during the winter weather season. That person assesses existing conditions, the forecast, university activities and other factors to determine how many staff to call in and when to begin snow removal and ice treatment operations. Crews will continue working throughout the day if warranted and staff will stay into the night to clear snow and ice, or sand roadways. If snow becomes hard packed by traffic or as conditions otherwise warrant, campus services will apply sand and de-icier to assist in traction. A sidewalk that has been swept and/or sanded is safer than one that is untreated.

For information of snow and ice hazards click here.

Priority for snow and ice removal: In most instances snow and ice removal will occur simultaneously for roadways, parking lots, primary sidewalks and primary entrances. In situations when snow and ice occurs with heavy accumulation or is difficult to handle, the following priorities will be followed.

1. Roadways – roadways serving university facilities
2. Parking lots – accessible spaces, permit spaces, general spaces
3. Primary sidewalks – main walkways traversing campus and leading to main building entrances
4. Primary building entrances – main building entrances and accessible entrances
5. Secondary sidewalks – walks not in primary route to campus facilities such as leading to side doors, back doors or limited access areas
6. Secondary building entrances – side entrances, back entrances, limited access exits

• If you arrive at work and your normal parking lot is not plowed, please try to park in a plowed lot or park in a group/cluster with other vehicles to ease snow removal. See the University's Winter Storm Parking Plan for more details.
• At times, it can be extremely difficult for the operators to see pedestrians or vehicles while operating equipment, so please allow as much space as possible between you and the equipment (at least fifty feet is recommended). The more room you give us to work, the quicker we can have the snow and ice removed for your convenience.
• Please do not pull out or walk in front of trucks or any other equipment.
• Please notify us of problem areas by calling the FP&M service desk at 294-5100.

Campus Services works hard to maintain a healthy and safe level of pest and wildlife control, dealing with up to as many as 10,000 to 12,000 crows during the fall as they attempt to make Iowa State their winter home. Tactics used to discourage the birds from roosting on campus include strobe lights, big-eyed balloons, and bird-in-distress calls. For best results, these devices must be moved frequently from place to place. Campus Services has continued to work with experts on- and off-campus over the years in their effort to discourage the birds. A more in depth story is available at http://www.iastate.edu/Inside/2001/1130/crows.shtml.  Did you know that bird droppings can sometimes be hazardous?  Find out more here.

The care of Iowa States famous swans, Lancelot and Elaine, also is a part of Campus Services duties. Aerators on the lake help to keep the lake open through the winter months and the swans are fed a supplementary diet to ensure that they have enough to eat.