Recycling tips for cleaner, greener campus

Plastic bottles, utensils, and lids – oh, my!

Just a quick reminder that all hard plastic should be placed in commingled recycling bins in your area along with paper, aluminum cans, etc. What constitutes hard plastic? (Well, we’re glad you asked.) Liquid- and food-free bottles, cups, trays, lids, caps, utensils, and larger pieces of hard plastic, such as damaged trash cans and recycling bins incapable of reuse are acceptable.

If food is stuck to your tray, cup or utensil, please remove the food with your napkin or a dribble of water. For more information on all recycling efforts on the ASU Tempe campus, visit: http://recycle.asu.edu.
 
What to do with that insufferable sea of plastic bags and shrink wrap

Ever feel like you’re swimming in an ocean of soft plastic? Using reusable shopping bags and purchasing items with as little packaging as possible will help reduce the plastic in your life. But inevitably, you will still probably find yourself with some of that pesky soft plastic so if you’re on the Tempe campus, take clean soft plastic to the clearly marked toters located next to the recycling compactor on the north side of Best A along Lemon Street.

Too much of a haul? Do what lots of Sun Devils do and drop it off on your way home or right before a shopping trip at one of the many participating stores Valley-wide that recycle soft plastics including the nearby Safeway (Rural and Broadway). Other participating chains include: Albertson's, Bashas' Supermarkets, Fry’s, Sprouts Farmers Markets, Sunflower Markets, Wal-Mart, and Whole Foods.

For a list of acceptable items, click here. Please remember that soft plastic (bags, shrink wrap and ZiplocTM bags) cannot be placed in commingled recycling bins on any of the ASU campuses or in any curbside program in the Valley because they’re notorious for jamming recycling machines.
 

Dawn Ratcliffe
Recycling Coordinator
ASU Tempe Campus Facilities Management