Zero Waste Hierarchy

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The waste hierarchy establishes priorities in sustainable materials management from most favorable to least favorable actions. Focusing on the upper tiers of the hierarchy has the largest potential for sustainable impact since end-of-life management is the weakest lever for change. The burden on disposal systems can be reduced through strategies such as reducing consumption as well as product redesign in order to reduce product toxicity and wasteful packaging as well as ensure compatibility with end-of-life diversion through recycling or composting. Waste reduction reduces our carbon impact. Learn strategies to work zero waste on campus and live zero waste in Austin.

Quick Resources

• A Longhorn's Guide to Resource Recovery (mini brochure) (PDF)
• Student Guide to Sustainable Living: Consumption & Waste

Rethink & Reuse: Preventing Waste

For every one ton of product purchased, 71 tons of waste was created to mine, manufacture, store, and finally transport it to market. Reducing the amount of materials used reduces the amount of waste created. Being thoughtful about what is purchased is the first step towards reducing the amount of waste acquired and generated. Consider your true needs and choose products that are designed for durability and a long life--products which have the potential for continued use and re-use, as well as eventual recycling at the end of their useful life. Consider opportunities to borrow, buy secondhand or to clean, repair, refurbish, re-purpose, or refill to give quality items continued life.

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7.12 Sustainability, Handbook of Business Procedures Purchasing Policy:

"Consistent with the President's Committee on Business Productivity's recommendations toward more active stewardship of tangible and intangible assets and critical examination of their use, the University of Texas at Austin is committed to encouraging and supporting sustainable practices throughout the supply chain."

Why Rethink and Reuse

Rethinking and reusing make a bigger impact on the campus waste stream than just managing our discards at disposal. The university community values rethinking and reusing because it reduces our carbon impact and is fiscally responsible. Every item represents a specific amount of embodied carbon due to the use of water, raw materials, and energy and the release of wastewater and air emissions resulting from manufacture and distribution. Careful purchasing prevents unnecessary production and disposal, reducing costs at both ends of university use.

Rethink and Reuse at Work

• Check Surplus Property first when you are in need of something and send all state property you no longer use.
• Utilize the water bottle refilling stations located across campus.
• Utilize an Eco2Go reusable container at University Housing and Dining locations for a discount.
• Bring a reusable tumbler to coffee shops for a discount, where available.
• Give and get needed items at annual Office Supply Swaps and Lab Supply Swaps.
• Think critically about the SWAG you hand out by using the Event SWAG Hierarchy.
• Rent a bike or get assistance with repairs on your own at Orange Bike Project.
• Shop Trash to Treasure pop-up sales on campus and look for donation stations in residence halls during move-out.

Rethink and Reuse at Home

• Explore the Surplus REuse Store and Online Auctions.
• Look for MoveOut ATX donation stations in student off-campus housing areas during summer move-out
• Pitch a business idea to investors at [RE]verse Pitch
• Learn from repair experts at Fix-It Clinics, find reuse and thrift shops, and more. City Of Austin (COA) Circular Economy Program
• Recycle household materials and check out the free ReUse Store, ReBlend Paint, and mulch at the Recyle & Reuse Drop-off Center
• Donate or find materials for your next creative project at Austin Creative Reuse.

Recycle: Reducing Our Landfill Waste

UT collects recyclables single stream, meaning all accepted recyclables are placed together in the same bin:

• Metal
• Glass
• Clean Office Paper
• Flattened Cardboard
• Hard Plastics (e.g. bottles, containers)

*Do not include food or liquid. Empty the container by wiping or rinsing it out before recycling.

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Downloadable files of UT waste signage

Why Recycle

Recycling is part of reducing landfill trash from the UT campus. The university community values recycling because it reduces our carbon impact and is an important way for us to contribute to a greener economy. Reducing our waste going to landfills is the simplest way to reduce this carbon impact.

Paper, cardboard, aluminum, and some plastics are easily and quickly recycled into new products and are usually in demand. Recycling generally provides raw materials to manufacturers that are less energy-intensive to produce than extracting virgin materials from the earth, particularly in the case of aluminum, scrap metal, and paper. Innovative uses of used plastics pop up all the time, so providing hundreds of thousands of pounds of recycling can help the recycled content supply chain.

How Recycling Works

Tour Balcones Resources, a local Material Recovery Facility (MRF).

Source: Balcones Resources

Recycle at Work

How can I get a recycling bin for my office?

Resource Recovery circulates discarded and surplus deskside and common area-sized recycling bins back to campus. Limited quantities are available by request depending on current inventory. Construction and renovation projects must include the cost of landfill trash and recycling bins into their budget, as it is out of scope for Resource Recovery to stock full buildings with bins. Contact our team with the requested quantity and size of bins, and we will see if we can accommodate you.

What about recyclable materials that can't go in the recycle bin, such as batteries and ink and toner?

Some materials have special collections for recycling. Special Material Collection.

Is shredded paper recyclable?

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Yes, if it is placed in a separate white/clear bag and placed next to the recycle bin for custodial collection. This allows our recycling partner, Balcones Recycling, to identify shredded paper bags and handle them appropriately for recycling. If you have a confidential document shredding contract, ensure that your vendor is recycling the shreds.

What are the top recycling contaminants?

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Source: City of Palo Alto

Contaminants are items that don't belong in the recycle bin because they impact the cleanliness and quality of the materials. Resource Recovery waste audits have identified these problem materials: liquids, expanded polystyrene (commonly known as Styrofoam), paper cups, greasy pizza boxes, and flexible plastic such as wrappers, packets, and plastic bags. Paper cups are confusing and are a major recycling contaminant: UT generates so many paper cups each year that if laid end-to-end would stretch 156 miles - from Austin to Houston.

Why do the custodians throw away my recycling?

Custodial Services staff members are instructed to handle the materials as they were discarded so that contamination can be measured and addressed. If you see them "throwing away" materials, consider the video below and if there still seems to be a problem, contact 512-471-2020 with the time and location.

Is there special guidance for labs?

Yes, learn more from the Green Labs program.

Does campus construction divert materials?

Yes, learn more about green building.

What other ways can I support recycling?

Purchase items made with recycled content. Come lend a hand at events that increase campus diversion.

Recycle at Home

Does my apartment complex have to recycle? Do restaurants have to divert organic materials?

The City of Austin's Universal Recycling Ordinance supports Austin's Zero Waste goal.

Specialty Recycling: Reducing Our Landfill Waste

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Many materials that are not accepted in UT’s single stream recycling bin are still collected on campus via special recycling programs. Keeping these items out of the Landfill Trash stream helps reduce our waste and capture valuable materials that could potentially harm the environment. For example, electronics often contain precious metals that can be separated during the recycling process.

Specialty Recycling at Work

Toner Cartridges

See Document Solutions’ Toner Cartridge Recycling instructions.

Paper Reuse & Recycling

• Document Solutions offers programs to reuse shipping boxes, unused letterhead, scrap paper, and single-sided paper for children’s craft projects and notepads.
• Sanger Learning Center accepts paper donations for tutoring.

Batteries

Only batteries generated at UT Austin (in an office, classroom, lab, etc.) are accepted. Resource Recovery, Green Labs, and Environmental Health & Safety accept batteries depending on the type and location generated. Please view this flowchart to determine where your batteries should be disposed.

Single-use alkaline batteries will be collected approximately once per term from dedicated locations. 

The next battery collection event will be on Wednesday, April 12. Click here for more information and to download a calendar invite.

Sign up to be notified about upcoming collections.

State Property (Furniture, Office Supplies, etc.)

Property purchased by the university, in any condition, is required by state law to go to UT Surplus Property. You can also visit on Fridays to select items for free reuse on campus.

Gloves, Film Plastic, Polystyrene, and Cold Packs Generated in Labs

The Green Labs program provides resources to reduce waste, water, and energy consumption in labs. They host scheduled collection dates for participating labs for clean polystyrene (Styrofoam), film plastic, cold packs, Kimberly Clark gloves, and single-use batteries. More information about collection dates and guidance is available on the Green Labs website.

Hazardous Materials

Environmental Health & Safety is responsible for the disposal of hazardous waste generated on campus. This includes university light bulbs (HID, UV, fluorescent, and compact fluorescent bulbs), aerosol cans (partially full or empty), and chemicals of any kind (including Clorox, Pledge)

Scrap Metal

Staff and faculty with scrap metal may bring it to the 40-yard roll-off dumpsters at the Facilities Complex or Pickle Research Center. Contact the Facilities Service Center at 512-471-2020 for more information and specific locations.

Pallets

If you are unable to return pallets to the vendor, pallets may be stacked neatly inside or next to any dumpster corral and Solid Waste & Recycling staff will remove them.

Specialty Recycling at Home

Batteries

• University Housing & Dining operates a battery recycling program in residence halls & UT-owned apartments. Students may recycle all types of non-rechargeable batteries at the specially-labeled bins located in the lobbies of most residence halls.
• Resource Recovery can also accept any student batteries generated at UT (classrooms, dorms, labs, etc.) Please view this flowchart to determine where your batteries should be disposed.

For more information on how to dispose of personal batteries, check out options for Austin/Travis country residents and others.

Medicine Bottles

To protect water sources, do not flush medication down the toilet. Pill and medication bottles with contents remaining can be brought to the take-back station at the HEB Pharmacy in the Health Transformation Building, 1st floor, at 1601 Trinity Street, Bldg. A, Ste. 105.

City of Austin Recycle & Reuse Drop Off Center

Many materials, including electronics, hazardous waste, film plastics, and Styrofoam, are accepted by drop off at the Recycle & Reuse Drop Off Center.