Recycle: Reducing Our Landfill Waste

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.

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

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, Texas Disposal Systems, 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.

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.

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.

 

Yes, learn more from the Green Labs program.

Yes, learn more about green building.

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

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

See Document Solutions’ Toner Cartridge Recycling instructions.

• 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.

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. 

Sign up to be notified about upcoming collections.

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.

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.

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).

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.

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.

• 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.

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.

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