Did you know most of UBC’s garbage can be recycled? You can recycle everyday waste materials—like food scraps, paper and food or drink containers—at recycling stations. Please refer to the Sorting Guide at the end of this document for specific information on what goes into which bin. You can also find more information on the Sort it Out webpage. It all adds up, you make a difference when you sort food scraps and recyclables at UBC recycling stations. Frequently Asked Questions Q: What can be recycled and composted? A: Food scraps (food and compostables), recyclable containers including coffee cups, and mixed paper. Refer to the Sorting Guide at the end of this FAQ for more information. Q: What can’t be recycled? A: Materials that are not recyclable must go into the garbage. These include: Styrofoam, plastic bags, potato chip bags and unmarked plastic containers. Materials such as batteries and electronics can be recycled elsewhere, but not at recycling stations. A good resource for recycling options is the comprehensive Sorting Guide. Q: Where are the recycling facilities at UBC? A: There are over 700 recycling stations located in buildings across campus. Recycling carts are generally located in student housing recycling rooms, with recycling stations found in dining halls and food service outlets across campus. Q: How much garbage does UBC divert from the landfill? A: As of 2014, we were able to divert about half of all operational waste (not including construction waste) away from the landfill. However, with proper separation (putting the right materials in the right bins), most of your garbage can be diverted from the landfill using UBC’s recycling stations. UBC is aspiring to be a “Zero Waste” campus where all unwanted products and materials will be treated as resources that can be used again. To reduce environmental impacts, greenhouse gas emissions and garbage disposal costs we can all do our part. Please take an extra second and Sort it Out. Keep plastics out of green bins. Plastics of any kind including regular and compostable plastic bags and plastic food containers, must not be put in food scraps bins. sustain.ubc.ca/sortitout
Transcript
Did you know most of UBC’s garbage can be recycled? You can recycle everyday waste materials—like food scraps, paper and food or drink containers—at recycling stations. Please refer to the Sorting Guide at the end of this document for specific information on what goes into which bin. You can also find more information on the Sort it Out webpage.
It all adds up, you make a di�erence when you sort food scraps and recyclables at UBC recycling stations.
Frequently Asked Questions Q: What can be recycled and composted? A: Food scraps (food and compostables), recyclable containers including co�ee cups, and mixed paper. Refer to the Sorting Guide at the end of this FAQ for more information.
Q: What can’t be recycled? A: Materials that are not recyclable must go into the garbage. These include: Styrofoam, plastic bags, potato chip bags and unmarked plastic containers. Materials such as batteries and electronics can be recycled elsewhere, but not at recycling stations. A good resource for recycling options is the comprehensive Sorting Guide. Q: Where are the recycling facilities at UBC? A: There are over 700 recycling stations located in buildings across campus. Recycling carts are generally located in student housing recycling rooms, with recycling stations found in dining halls and food service outlets across campus.
Q: How much garbage does UBC divert from the landfill? A: As of 2014, we were able to divert about half of all operational waste (not including construction waste) away from the landfill. However, with proper separation (putting the right materials in the right bins), most of your garbage can be diverted from the landfill using UBC’s recycling stations.
UBC is aspiring to be a “Zero Waste” campus where all unwanted products and materials will be treated as resources that can be used again. To reduce environmental impacts, greenhouse gas emissions and garbage disposal costs we can all do our part. Please take an extra second and Sort it Out.
Q: What are the benefits of recycling and composting? A: Recycling means sending less garbage to landfills and incinerators. Garbage rotting in landfills can pollute our air and water, and create greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. By recycling you are helping to conserves resources and reduce the cost of garbage disposal.
Q: Will the presence of food scraps bins cause odours, flies or other problems? A: Food scraps containers rarely smell and do not attract flies when emptied regularly and kept clean. Food scraps bins in the recycling stations are emptied and washed frequently and most have closable covers.. Make sure you empty and rinse your kitchen food scraps container every 1-2 days and replace the paper pail liner.
Q: Can I recycle or compost co�ee cups? What about the lids? A: All co�ee cups can be recycled. Place empty cups and lids—with the sleeves removed—into the grey recyclable containers bin. Do not put liquids into the recyclable containers bin. Cardboard and paper sleeves can be placed in the blue paper bin.
Q: What do I do with plastic cutlery? A: If marked “recyclable”, these can be put in the recyclable containers bin if they are clean. Other types, including unmarked, should go in the garbage. Wood cutlery and wood chopsticks can go into the food scraps bin.
Q: What do I do with plastic bags or packaging? A: Plastic bags cannot be recycled or composted at UBC recycling stations and should be placed in the garbage. Some stores such as London Drugs can recycle plastic bags.
Q: Can I recycle juice boxes and milk cartons? A: Yes. Tetrapaks (lined with foil) can also be placed in the grey recyclable containers bin.
Q: Can I compost napkins and paper towels? A: Yes, these can be placed in the green food scraps bins.
Q: Can I recycle styrofoam food containers or #6 plastics? A: Styrofoam food containers, used at some take-out restaurants, are not recyclable and should be put into the garbage bin. However, some styrofoam packing materials can be recycled at certain locations on campus. Other types of #6 plastic, like rigid plastic food containers, are recyclable in the grey containers bin.
Q: Can I recycle pizza boxes? A: Clean pizza boxes can be placed into cardboard recycling (present in most residence recycling rooms), soiled or greasy pizza boxes should be placed into the garbage.
Q. If I have a drink that is not finished, what should I do with it?A. Empty the liquid into an appropriate place—e.g., a washroom sink if indoors, then recycle the empty container in the grey bin. Please do not place containers with liquids in or on recycling stations, this will cause spills, create odours and attract fruit flies.
Q: Do I need to rinse or wash plastic and metal containers? A: Yes! Help reduce contamination by washing containers. This will also reduce odor, flies and rodents; put them in the recyclable containers bin.
Q: How do I report problems with the recycling stations? A: For any immediate problems with the stations, such as overflows, contact the facility manager for the building. To provide feedback on the UBC Zero Waste initiative, please email [email protected].
Keep plastics out of green bins.Plastics of any kindincluding regular and compostable plastic bags and plastic food containers, must not be put in food scraps bins.
sustain.ubc.ca/sortitout
Did you know most of UBC’s garbage can be recycled? You can recycle everyday waste materials—like food scraps, paper and food or drink containers—at recycling stations. Please refer to the Sorting Guide at the end of this document for specific information on what goes into which bin. You can also find more information on the Sort it Out webpage.
It all adds up, you make a di�erence when you sort food scraps and recyclables at UBC recycling stations.
Frequently Asked Questions Q: What can be recycled and composted? A: Food scraps (food and compostables), recyclable containers including co�ee cups, and mixed paper. Refer to the Sorting Guide at the end of this FAQ for more information.
Q: What can’t be recycled? A: Materials that are not recyclable must go into the garbage. These include: Styrofoam, plastic bags, potato chip bags and unmarked plastic containers. Materials such as batteries and electronics can be recycled elsewhere, but not at recycling stations. A good resource for recycling options is the comprehensive Sorting Guide. Q: Where are the recycling facilities at UBC? A: There are over 700 recycling stations located in buildings across campus. Recycling carts are generally located in student housing recycling rooms, with recycling stations found in dining halls and food service outlets across campus.
Q: How much garbage does UBC divert from the landfill? A: As of 2014, we were able to divert about half of all operational waste (not including construction waste) away from the landfill. However, with proper separation (putting the right materials in the right bins), most of your garbage can be diverted from the landfill using UBC’s recycling stations.
Q: What are the benefits of recycling and composting? A: Recycling means sending less garbage to landfills and incinerators. Garbage rotting in landfills can pollute our air and water, and create greenhouse gases that contribute to climate change. By recycling you are helping to conserves resources and reduce the cost of garbage disposal.
Q: Will the presence of food scraps bins cause odours, flies or other problems? A: Food scraps containers rarely smell and do not attract flies when emptied regularly and kept clean. Food scraps bins in the recycling stations are emptied and washed frequently and most have closable covers.. Make sure you empty and rinse your kitchen food scraps container every 1-2 days and replace the paper pail liner.
Q: Can I recycle or compost co�ee cups? What about the lids? A: All co�ee cups can be recycled. Place empty cups and lids—with the sleeves removed—into the grey recyclable containers bin. Do not put liquids into the recyclable containers bin. Cardboard and paper sleeves can be placed in the blue paper bin.
Q: What do I do with plastic cutlery? A: If marked “recyclable”, these can be put in the recyclable containers bin if they are clean. Other types, including unmarked, should go in the garbage. Wood cutlery and wood chopsticks can go into the food scraps bin.
Q: What do I do with plastic bags or packaging? A: Plastic bags cannot be recycled or composted at UBC recycling stations and should be placed in the garbage. Some stores such as London Drugs can recycle plastic bags.
Q: Can I recycle juice boxes and milk cartons? A: Yes. Tetrapaks (lined with foil) can also be placed in the grey recyclable containers bin.
Q: Can I compost napkins and paper towels? A: Yes, these can be placed in the green food scraps bins.
Q: Can I recycle styrofoam food containers or #6 plastics? A: Styrofoam food containers, used at some take-out restaurants, are not recyclable and should be put into the garbage bin. However, some styrofoam packing materials can be recycled at certain locations on campus. Other types of #6 plastic, like rigid plastic food containers, are recyclable in the grey containers bin.
Q: Can I recycle pizza boxes? A: Clean pizza boxes can be placed into cardboard recycling (present in most residence recycling rooms), soiled or greasy pizza boxes should be placed into the garbage.
Q. If I have a drink that is not finished, what should I do with it?A. Empty the liquid into an appropriate place—e.g., a washroom sink if indoors, then recycle the empty container in the grey bin. Please do not place containers with liquids in or on recycling stations, this will cause spills, create odours and attract fruit flies.
Q: Do I need to rinse or wash plastic and metal containers? A: Yes! Help reduce contamination by washing containers. This will also reduce odor, flies and rodents; put them in the recyclable containers bin.
Q: How do I report problems with the recycling stations? A: For any immediate problems with the stations, such as overflows, contact the facility manager for the building. To provide feedback on the UBC Zero Waste initiative, please email [email protected]/sortitout
