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 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

Since 2010, 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.

Electronic Waste Recycling

• UofL's E-Scrap recycling program is handled by UofL Surplus and accepts items such as televisions, computer hard drives, monitors, keyboards, and printers, lap tops, and other audio/visual equipment. These items contain toxins and reusable components which should be kept out of the normal waste stream. Here's how:
  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 lap top 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.
  

How to Recycle Less Common Items

• Batteries
• Printer Cartridges
• Chemicals
  
• Lighting
• Cell Phones

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 to collect used clothes and shoes in light green bins set up around Belknap campus. The Gaia Movement is a non-profit organization which promotes environmentally sustainable practices locally 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, the Eco-Service Center and the Solar Energy project 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 is 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 helped us finish strong in the RecycleMania 2012 competition!

• 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!