RECYCLING AT SOUTHERN OREGON UNIVERSITY
Reducing the amount of waste, for example, through leasing, procurement, and reuse is the best option. However, where we produce waste, we aim to divert as much as possible away from landfill through recycling. At SOU we recycle a number of material streams.
A Recycling Program with an on-campus recycling center for glass, plastics, paper, cardboard, and cans was founded by students in 2011 as part of a capstone project focused on diverting waste from the landfill. This is supported by indoor and outdoor central collection points. Having a recycling center on campus helps us to make sure only the highest quality material for recycling leaves the campus. We also recycle number of other materials and products including ink toner and cartridges, batteries, lamps and lightbulbs, electronic appliances and equipment, books, paint, oil, furniture, wood, scrap metal, marker pens, pens, and mechanical pencils and spray cans.
Mixed recycling
This includes plastic bottles and tubs (no lids), aluminum cans and foil, cardboard, tin cans, and paper. This does not include cups (for juice or coffee), styrofoam, food or plastic bags.
Please put these items in the blue recycling containers, found indoors and outdoors, around campus.
Glass
Please put glass bottles and jars in the red containers, found indoors and outdoors, around campus.
Books
We are seeing an increasing number of books that are outdated and recycled rather than reused. If these are paperback, they can go in the mixed recycling. If these are hardback and the cover is easily removed, please remove the cover and place these in the mixed recycling. For heavily bound hardback books, please arrange for these to be collected through a work order.
Furniture, wood, scrap metal
Wood and metal is separated from trash. Furniture is either donated for reuse or taken apart for the metal and wood if reuse is not an option. Please arrange for these items to be collected through a work order.
Ink toner and cartridges
These items can be delivered to IT in the Computer Services Building.
Batteries, lamps and lightbulbs, paint, oil, spray cans, and chemicals
These items can contain materials that can harm the environment and we have arrangements in place to make sure they are appropriately recycled. Please contact Environmental Health and Safety to collect these items.
Marker pens, mechanical pencils, and pens
Please take these to the box in the Student Sustainability Center in the Stevenson Union, room 310.
