Recycling On Campus

How to Recycle from On Campus

For the most part, Oberlin uses an all-in-one-bin recycling system. This means that all recyclables, with a few exceptions, go in the blue recycling bins around campus.

In Mudd, the Science Center, King, and the Con, we have paper-only bins in addition to the multi-purpose bins. The paper in these bins is collected by a separate company that pays the college for our recycled paper.

Be sure to check out our **More Resources** page to find out what else you can recycle!
BLUE BINS ACCEPT: Cans (tin, aluminum, etc.) Glass bottles Newspapers Envelopes (windows okay) Mixed Paper (glossy, colored, office) Paperboard Plastics Labeled #1 or #2	BLUE BINS DO NOT ACCEPT: Non-#1 or -#2 plastics (including Decafe containers) Corrugated cardboard Food waste Batteries

When you have a lot of office paper, take it to the green-and-yellow Paper Retriever bins around campus, located behind Facilities and behind Hales. Paper from these dumpsters is picked up by Abitibi Consolidated, a company that pays us for our recycled paper. These dumpsters will accept all office paper and newspaper, as long as it is less than 6 months old.

Also, look for the blue containers marked "Nothing Personal" near the printers. ONE-SIDED office paper collected there will be turned into notepads and made available to students FREE by the Recyclers. Place paper blank side up.

On campus, FLATTEN BOXES and take corrugated cardboard (which has a ribbed filling inside two thin sheets of cardboard) to the cardboard dumpsters behind:

**Note:** This does not include WAXED or GLOSSY corrugated cardboard.
Wilder Stevenson Talcott Harkness Burton	Tank Fairchild (the dorm) Lord/Saunders Science Center Keep	Old Barrows Phillips Dascomb or put it in the container in the mailroom

Every year, Americans purchase nearly three billion disposable batteries. Recycling these batteries helps keep heavy metals out of landfills and out of the air, and saves our resources. (EPA, 2007)

We recommend switching to rechargeable batteries in order to reduce the amount of solid waste in landfills. Although it costs more to buy rechargeable batteries and a charger, this is definitely a worthwhile investment -- rechargeable batteries can be reused hundreds of times before you need to buy new ones!

To recycle batteries:

There is a container by the Technology Store on A-Level of Mudd where you can recycle all kinds of batteries: alkaline, rechargeable, laptop, cell phone, camera... anything.
Drop rechargeable and non-rechargeable batteries in the containers located in Wilder, Phillips, Hall Annex, and the Facilities Building.
For rechargeable batteries of any type (including cell phone and laptop batteries), you can also bring them to any Staples, Best Buy, or RadioShack, all of which are in Elyria, and they will recycle them.

OSCA's co-ops run on a slightly more inclusive recycling system than the rest of campus:

Glossy and waxed cardboard boxes are given back to the farmers who supply our food, who reuse them. If you have a box like this, and it is in good condition, and doesn't have "Organic" printed on it, just drop it off at any co-op.
OSCA also composts. If you're near a co-op, drop off your food waste there.

If you have any questions about the Recycling Program or comments about our web pages, email us at recycle@oberlin.edu

This page was last updated November 2009

BLUE BINS ACCEPT:

BLUE BINS DO NOT ACCEPT:

To recycle batteries:

OSCA's co-ops run on a slightly more inclusive recycling system than the rest of campus: