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Hamilton County Tox-Away
Keep Indianapolis Beautiful
IUPUI Recycling Commonly Asked Questions
Recycle Indianapolis
Recycling Committee
Recycling Amounts 2008
Computer Recycling (For home computers only)


 
In ongoing efforts to reduce our impact on the environment, IUPUI utilizes recycling as a preferred disposal method of solid wastes. The Department of Environmental Health & Safety and the Campus Facility Services Recycling Manager are in charge of recycling efforts.

What is recycling?

Recycling involves using discarded items as raw material for new products. The recycling process consists of collecting recyclable items that would otherwise be disposed of as waste, sorting and processing recyclable materials into raw materials such as fibers, and manufacturing these raw materials into new products.

Why recycle?

Protect our environment
Reduce pollution created during the manufacturing process
Enhance air and water quality
Lower energy and water usage
Reduce dependence on landfills and incinerators
Conserve natural resources for future generations

Recycling Factoids

The world’s largest waste oil processing plant is located in East Chicago, Indiana. The facility
     recycles 75 million gallons per year of crankcase and industrial oil and 20 million gallons per year
     of oily wastewater. (Indiana Department of Environmental Management)
The average American throws away about 3.5 pounds of garbage per day.
     (Indiana Department of Environmental Management)
Recycling paper uses 60 percent less energy than manufacturing paper from virgin timber.
     (Indiana Department of Environmental Management)
Preventing 1 ton of paper waste saves between 15 and 17 mature trees. (US EPA)
Producing glass from virgin materials requires 30 percent more energy than producing it from
     crushed, used glass. (US EPA)
It takes approximately 1 million years for a glass bottle to break down at the landfill. (US EPA)
Aluminum can be recycled using less than 5 percent of the energy used to make the original
     product. (US EPA)
Recycling one aluminum beverage can saves enough energy to run a 100 watt bulb for 20 hours,
     a computer for 3 hours, or a TV for 2 hours. (US EPA)
Producing new plastic from recycled materials uses only two-thirds of the energy required to
     manufacture it from raw materials. (US EPA)
Plastics require 100 to 400 years to break down at the landfill. (US EPA)

Recycling tips

Office

set out convenient receptacles to make recycling at least as convenient as trash disposal
flatten cardboard boxes for recycling to save space

Home

set a collection box wherever you generate recyclables
look for recycled content packaging when you buy products to help sustain the market
     for recycled materials
clean out your closet seasonally and purge worn-out or seldom-worn clothing for recycling

Waste reduction tips

Office

use e-mail, internet, and voice mail instead of letters and memos
purchase office equipment with waste prevention in mind (electronic interface,
     double-sided capabilities, automatic reduction, etc.)
post notices rather than distribute copies to all staff, saving paper
use inter-office mail reusable envelopes
make double-sided copies
use ½ or ¼ sheets of paper for short documents

Home

share subscriptions with friends or go to the library to read periodicals
get off junk-mail lists
purchase bulk items to avoid over-packaged sizes
offer services instead of products as gifts (e.g., a restaurant meal instead of a new
     article of clothing)
dine on premises rather than taking out
purchase supplies in reusable containers
exchange or donate unneeded goods

Reuse tips

Office

instead of throwing out single-sided paper, use the back-side to print out drafts or to
     take notes
use a reusable mug instead of a paper cup
rent or borrow rarely used equipment
donate unwanted equipment and furniture to Surplus Property

Home

use cloth napkins instead of paper products
purchase second-hand books, furniture, and clothing
donate obsolete or outdated computer equipment to charity

Items accepted for recycling:

office paper
mixed paper
newspaper
plastic:
       ACCEPTABLE: Look at bottom of the container for a (PETE) or (HDPE) symbol
       NOT ACCEPTABLE: Containers labeled through
aluminum, tin, steel containers:
       ACCEPTABLE: All Beverage and Food Cans
       NOT ACCEPTABLE: Any other metal, including scrap metal
cardboard
nickel/cadmium and larger lead/acid batteries
printer and toner cartridges

The University offers the following campus-wide recycling programs:

• Beverage Containers: Collection containers are located in vending areas and other campus locations for plastic and metal beverage containers. • Office Paper: Recycle white paper, letterhead, and envelopes. Desktop collecting bins and other office collection receptacles and collection services are available by contacting CFS Call Center at 8-1900. • Mixed Paper: Recycle colored paper, Post-It Notes, and manila folder. Desktop collecting bins and other office collection receptacles and collection services are available by contacting CFS Call Center at 8-1900. • Batteries: The Department of Environmental Health and Safety collects nickel/cadmium and lead/acid batteries for recycling. To request a battery pickup, please fill out the hazardous waste manifest form. Standard household-sized (A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt) batteries are not collected for recycling and may be disposed of in the trash. • Other items such as newspapers, magazines, cardboard, and printer/toner cartridges.    • A large roll-off container for household recycling is available east of the Psychiatric Research Institute (PR) building. Any materials can be brought from home, with the exception of batteries, and deposited in this roll-off container for recycling.

Recycling Amounts 2008
Please click here to view past recycling amounts

MONTH	OFFICE PAPER (tons)	MIXED PAPER (tons)	PLASTICS AND CANS (tons)
January	14.12	3.22	1.21
February	15.94	0	3.15
March	0	11.89	1.98
April	3.7	9.72	2.54
May	8.71	9.1	2.15
June
July
August
September
October
November
December

QUESTIONS?

If you have any questions regarding recycling at IUPUI please email recycles@iupui.edu for more information.

For any operational issues regarding IUPUI’s Recycling Program, contact the Campus Facility Services Call Center at 8-1900.

For any ongoing problems or concerns about the IUPUI Recycling Program that have not been resolved by CFS, contact the Director of Environmental Health and Safety, Rich Strong at 274-1388 or by email.