Recycling

Our goal is to continually reduce the amount of waste we generate and send to the landfill. You can help by:

1. Reducing - avoiding unnecessary purchases, resource consumption, and excess packaging.
2. Reusing - swaping surplus property and choosing reusable items like mugs, bottles, cloth bags and napkins, rechargeable batteries, etc.
3. Recycling - all of the items listed below!
   

Single Stream Recycling

Any recycling bin on all three UofL campuses can be used to recycle all types of paper, cardboard, plastics, metals, and glass. Learn more about UofL's Single Stream Recycling program which has been in place since 2010.

Electronic Waste Recycling

• UofL's E-Scrap recycling program is handled by UofL Surplus (1901 S Floyd St.) and accepts: laptops/notebook computers, monitors, televisions, printers, servers, copiers, fax machines, RAM/memory, hard drives, miscellaneous peripherals such as keyboards, mice and power cords.
• Surplus also accepts CDs, VHS tapes, audio cassettes, floppy disks and DVDs for recycling. These items must be sent to the warehouse without cases or sleeves. Do not send electronic media that contains sensitive or University proprietary information. Refer to Information Security Office policy IS PS016 for the proper disposal method of electronic media containing sensitive information.
• All these items contain toxins and reusable components which should be kept out of the normal waste stream.
• Here's how to get items picked-up for recycling:
  Step 1: One of the following forms must be completed for the e-scrap item(s) to be picked up. All forms are located at the Inventory Control/Surplus Property website:
  1. A pick-up request for computer hard-drives and laptop computers must be submitted using the “Computing Device Surplus Certification” form.
  2. All other electronic items with a UofL Property tag bar-code must be submitted on a “TRANOVER” form (regardless of value).
  3. All other electronic items valued over $1000 must be submitted on a “TRANOVER” form.
  4. All other electronic items valued under $1000 should be submitted on a “TRANUND” form.
  Step 2: After your form has been submitted on-line and has been reviewed by the appropriate department, Physical Plant personnel will come to your location and pick up designated items for reuse or recycling.
  More information about e-scrap recycling efforts at UofL here.

• UofL also has a Printer Cartridge Recycling program.

Battery Recycling

• Did you know that UofL recycles over 4500 pounds of batteries every year?
• The Department of Environmental Health & Safety (DEHS) manages the collection and recycling of batteries for the University.
• All battery types are accepted, including:

  

1. Alkaline (A, AA, AAA, C, D, 9-volt)
2. Lithium hydride, sealed (Li)
3. Nickel-cadmium, sealed (Ni-Cad)
4. Nickel metal hydride (Ni-MH)
   
5. Lead-acid, wet-celled (vehicle and golf cart type)
6. Lead batteries, sealed (Pb)
7. Mercury (Hg)

• DEHS offers departments green buckets to collect batteries for recycling and over 50 green buckets have been placed at various departments throughout Belknap, HSC, and Shelby campuses. When the battery recycling container is near full, University personnel can contact DEHS at 852-2956, or submit a pick up request on-line.
• Look for battery collection buckets in these locations:
  
  
  DEHS provides buckets for battery recycling collections
  Belknap campus:
     All UofL Housing front desks
     Ekstrom Library
     Strickler Hall (REACH Rm 126)
     Physics, Dept office
     Biology, Dept office
     Chemistry, Dept office
     SAC – 3rd Floor Facilities office
     Education, Dept office
     Music, Dept office
     Urban & Public Affairs, Mailroom
  Health Sciences Center:
     Library Commons – RSO office
     Abel Admin – Dept office (3rd fl)
     SPHIS -  Admin Office (2nd Fl)
     RRC – RRC admin office
  Shelby campus:
     Burhans Hall -  KPPC
     Founders Union – Delphi Center admin office
  
• New for Fall 2012: On-site battery recycling is now available through University housing! Students living in Bettie Johnson Hall, Community Park, Center Hall, Kurz Hall, Louisville Hall, Medical-Dental Apartments, Miller Hall, Threlkeld Hall, Unitas Tower, University Tower Apartments, Wellness Hall, and West Hall will be able to drop off their used batteries at the housing Front Desk for recycling.
• Recycling tip: “Reduce, Recharge, and then Recycle”! Whenever possible use rechargeable batteries. The best rechargeable batteries are the “low self-discharge” Nickel-Metal Hydride (Ni-MH) cells. These low-discharge batteries have a lot going for them: they come fully charged (like alkaline batteries), and they can hold their charge over many months. Because they can hold their charge for so long, they are suitable for low-drain devices like remote controls and flashlights.
• Basic instructions for battery recycling at UofL.
• Full details here.

Lighting: Lamp bulb/tube Recycling

• Fluorescent light tubes and compact lamps contain a small amount of mercury. Recycling is the most environmentally acceptable method of handling lighting waste.

• Fluorescent lamps can be recycled for their mercury (Hg) content. Comprehensive recyclers also can recover other metals, soda glass and phosphor powder from fluorescent lighting waste as well.
  
• The Department of Environmental Health & Safety (DEHS) manages the collection and recycling of lamps for the University.
• The lighting wastes included in this program include:

1. Fluorescent light tubes (silver-tipped only)
2. Compact fluorescent bulbs, including U-tube and circular
3. High-intensity discharge (HID) lamps, such as high pressure sodium and mercury vapor
4. Ultra-violet (UV) lamps

• Physical Plant personnel collect and transport these spent lighting wastes generated from routine service and maintenance operations to several designated DEHS managed accumulation sites.
• University departments can request a pickup of spent lamps by contacting DEHS at 852-2956, or submit a pick up request on-line.

• New Fall 2012: On-site compact fluorescent lamp recycling is now available through University housing! Students living in Center Hall, Louisville Hall, Medical-Dental Apartments, Miller Hall, Threlkeld Hall, Unitas Tower, University Tower Apartments, Wellness Hall, and West Hall will be able to drop off their used lamps at the housing Front Desk for recycling.

• It is very important to place the used bulb in a bulb box to prevent breakage and mercury leakage. If the original box is not available, students can request a foam pouch at the Front Desk.

• DEHS collects other items which also contain mercury, such as thermometers, tilt sensors, temperature switches, barometers, manometers, and thermostat probes.
  
• Basic instructions for lighting recycling at UofL.
• More info on recycling lighting here.
  

How to Recycle Other Items

• Printer Cartridges
• Chemicals
  
• Cell Phones
• Styrofoam - Clean, white, bagged Molded Polystyrene (e.g. packing material for computers, appliances, fragile items, etc. - does not include packing peanuts) can be dropped-off free at: Foam Fabricators, 950 Progress Boulevard, New Albany, IN 47150. 812-948-1696
  

Request a recycling pickup at your location. Get all the details on Physical Plant's recycling operations here.

Questions?

For questions regarding battery recycling please contact the Hazardous Waste Coordinator, Cathy Price at 502-852-2956. For all other recycling inquiries please contact UofL's recycling coordinator, Aaron Boggs at 502-852-8181.

Composting

UofL is turning organic wastes into valuable fertilizer! Learn how. You can now compost your own organics on campus at the Garden Commons, which set up four rolling compost bins next to the greenhouse behind the Cultural Center in 2011 (see photo to right).

Reuse!

• UofL's surplus property exchange program allows staff and faculty to swap reusable campus office furniture and equipment.
• UofL's online materials exchange board allows staff and faculty to post and search for reusable items such as excess packing/shipping materials, office supplies, furniture, vehicles, lab equipment, computer and audio/visual equipment, athletic equipment, and more! Login here.
  
• In 2012, UofL launched a new partnership with the Gaia Movement USA to collect used clothes and shoes in light green bins set up around Belknap campus, including Miller Hall, Threlkeld Hall, between Louisville Hall & University Tower Apartments, and between Community Park & Center Hall. The Gaia Movement is a non-profit organization which promotes local sustainability through the reuse of clothes while supporting and funding on‐going environmental and community development projects around the world. The proceeds from Gaia’s clothing sales are used to co-fund several environmental projects in Africa and India. Gaia funds the Connect International Project which provides access to water and sanitation through low cost technologies in Mozambique and Zambia. Gaia also co-funds the Pumps for Life project in Zambia, the Biofuels project in Guinea Bissau, and the Eco-Service Center and Solar Energy projects in India, all of which help empower poor farming communities. Additionally, Gaia continues to donate toys and books to children in need and winter coats to the homeless.
  
• Students are encouraged to exchange useful items like electronics, office supplies, furniture, clothing and more through the Swap Shop hosted at the end of the year by Housing & Residence Life. Look for signs and promotional announcements as you think about moving out!
  

UofL Recycling Statistics

UofL Solid Waste & Recycling Annual Trends

*The primary cause for a the 2011 drop in landfill diversion was an unusually high percentage of construction debris in our waste stream.

RecycleMania!

UofL competes annually in RecycleMania, a friendly 8-week spring competition among university recycling programs to reduce waste, increase recycling and raise conservation awareness across campus! Thanks to all the RecycleManiacs at UofL who have helped us finish stronger each year in the RecycleMania competition!

• You can help the Cards to victory by fully utilizing UofL’s amazingly easy, single-stream recycling system that lets you recycle everything in the same bin: all types of plastic, paper, cardboard, metal, and glass! Full details here.
• Keep up with the Cards progress at the RecycleMania website. UofL competes in the Competition Division for the following categories: Grand Champion; Per Capita Classic; Gorilla Prize; Targeted Materials (Paper, Cardboard, Cans & Bottles, and Food Service Organics); and Waste Minimization!

• In Waste Minimization, UofL finished first in the state and 20th out of 168 nationally, with a total waste generation of 14.655 lbs/person.
  
• In the Grand Champion category, UofL was second in the state (behind JCTC) and 37th out of 274 nationally, with an overall Recycling Rate of 48.87% during the 8-week competition from February 3rd to March 30th, 2013.
• UofL recycled at total of 144,766 lbs (taking 1st place in the state for the Gorilla Prize), or 7.16 lbs/person (Per Capita Classic).
• This total includes 3.49 lbs/person of Paper, 2.15 lbs/person of Cardboard, 1.52 lbs/person of Bottles & Cans, and 2.73 lbs/person of Food Service Organics.
• That translates to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 335 Metric Tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (or the same as taking 66 cars off the road, or the energy consumption of 29 households).
  

• From February 5th to April 5th, 2012 UofL competed with 605 colleges and universities across the continent and recycled 174,864 pounds of waste, or 7.17 pounds/person.
  
• That translates to reducing our greenhouse gas emissions by 116 Metric Tons of carbon dioxide equivalent (or the same as keeping 62 cars off the road, or the energy consumption of 31 households).
• UofL finished 43rd in the competition for waste minimization, reducing our trash by 21.39 pounds/person.
• We finished 69th in terms of Corrugated Cardboard, recycling 4.81 pounds of cardboard/person; and 109th in Food Service Organics, composting 0.49 pounds of organics/person.
• UofL achieved a weekly recycling rate of 33.51% (98th).
• See UofL's full results for 2012.
  

• During RecycleMania 2011, UofL recycled 241,782 pounds of waste, or 10.91 pounds/person, with a recycling rate of over 36%...beating the University of Kentucky in 4 out of 7 categories!