Trash & Recycling
Recycling containers can be found at essentially every building on campus. Depending on the needs of the building occupants, there are containers for newspaper/magazines, office paper, mixed containers, cardboard/ paperboard, and phonebooks. Please be sure all of your materials have been prepared for recycling according to the guidelines found at acceptable items for recycling.
Hours of Operation
Recycling Services offices are available from 7:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m., Monday through Friday.
Request a Pick-up for Shredding
If your department has boxes of paper that need to be shredded, it is now possible to request the boxes be picked up, shredded, and the contents recycled. Please contact the Departments of Central Receiving’s Shredding Services at shredding.colostate.edu for more information.
Recycling Events
Integrated Solid Waste Program Wins CAFR Award
The Colorado Association for Recycling, or CAFR, has awarded Facilities Management’s Integrated Solid Waste Program the Outstanding Government Recycling/Waste Diversion Program Award. Recycling at Colorado State began a few decades ago, but has made tremendous progress since receiving a grant in 1990. The waste collection and disposal processes were overhauled to allow for efficient collection and recycling bins can now be found nearly everywhere on campus. Currently, CSU landfills about 44.9% of solid waste, with the existing recycling program diverting the other 55.1%. Those figures do not include the (literal) tons of items collected through the Leave-It Behind and Surplus Property programs that are recycled, donated to local charities, or sold for reuse to the local community.
RecycleMania
RecycleMania is a friendly competition among college and university recycling programs in the United States that provides the campus community with a fun, proactive activity in waste reduction. Over a 10-week period (2-week trial and 8-week official), campuses compete in different contests to see which institution can collect the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, or have the highest recycling rate. The primary goal of this event is to increase student, faculty and staff awareness of campus recycling and waste minimization. All participating schools are required to report measurements on a weekly basis. RecycleMania provides many ways to gain recognition, including RecycleMania trophies, awards, and participant certificates. RecycleMania helps all participating colleges and universities make achievements in recycling and waste reduction! For additional information, please visit the national RecycleMania site Colorado State University has participated in RecycleMania annually since 2004 and has consistently placed in the top 5% of schools in the nation-wide Grand Champion category.
Acceptable Materials for Recycling
Mixed Paper – Acceptable Items
- Computer paper
- Colored paper (pastels only)
- White paper (bond, letterhead, typing, copier, index cards)
- Carbonless paper
- Envelopes (with or without windows)
- Coated paper (fax, brochures, advertisements)
- File folders (manila or pastel)
- Direct mailings
- Paper board (file folder boxes, cereal boxes, etc.)
- Magazines
- Newspaper
- Phonebooks
- Books & catalogs (any thickness)
- Brown paper bags
Mixed Paper – Unacceptable Items
- Brightly-colored paper (goldenrod, neons, deep tones, fluorescents)
- Carbon paper
- Food wrappings
- Trash
Cardboard – Acceptable Items
- Corrugated cardboard
- Pizza boxes
- Waxed cardboard
Mixed Containers – Acceptable Items
All plastic containers and bottles must be clean and free of food debris, and must be no larger than 2.5 gallons.
- #1 & #2 narrow-necked containers, caps removed
- Any container stamped #1 – #7 (except those listed under Unacceptable Items below)
- Wide-mouth containers stamped #1 – #7 (e.g. butter, cottage cheese tubs, etc.), snap-on lids okay
- Yogurt containers stamped #1 – #7, snap-on lids okay
- Clear clamshells (e.g. sandwich or cookie containers from the deli or bakery), stamped #1 – #7
- Paper cartons, juice boxes, milk cartons, soup and broth cartons-please remove straws or plastic caps.
- Personal care/Rx bottles stamped #1 – #7
- Pails stamped #1 – #7, snap-on lids okay
- Flower and garden pots stamped #1 – #7
- #7 Nalgene bottles
- Glass drinking bottles & food jars
- Lids/Caps – plastic or metal detached from carton, jar or bottle
- Aluminum
- Tin and steel cans
- Five-gallon buckets – can be set next to the bins for reuse on campus
Mixed Containers – Unacceptable Items
Containers larger than 2.5 gallons are not acceptable.
- Frozen entree microwave trays
- Food trays or party platters, even if stamped with #1 – #7 (due to contamination issue)
- Foil juice pouches
- Film (e.g. shrink wrap, Saran wrap, etc.)
- Plastic bags
- Automotive chemical containers, including motor oil and anti-freeze
- Pesticide containers
- Styrofoam containers
- #5, #6, #7 compostable bottles or cups (these will be marked “compostable” by the manufacturer)
- Pyrex
- Kitchen glassware
Batteries – Acceptable Items
- Alkaline
- NiCad (NiCd)
- Gel pack
- Rechargeable
- Please call 970-491-0113 for a special collection container (call for empty and return on these containers)
Paint – Acceptable Items
- Please call Environmental Health Services at 970-491-6746
Surplus – Acceptable Items
- Refrigerators
- Microwave ovens
- Electrical Equipment: computers, monitors, TV’s, etc.
Remember, other unused items can be disposed of through Surplus Property.
Additional Information
For more information, please contact Jennifer Williams at 970-491-0122.