Frequently Asked Questions
Watch this page for new questions and answers!
Q: What do we recycle at Clark?
A: The Recycling Center primarily accepts
paper products and
bottles & cans. Physical Plant is responsible for the recycling of a number of other types of items on campus. The University also participates in a free, mail-in recycling program for inkjet printer cartridges.
Contact Dave Schmidt, Campus
Sustainability Coordinator, for more information.
Q: Can paper and bottles & cans be collected in the same bins?
A: In order to ensure that your recyclables will actually get recycled, please keep recyclable paper separate from bottles & cans. Many containers, particularly soda cans, still contain a small amount of liquid when empty. When liquids such as soda have been spilled onto recyclable paper, the paper is considered "dirty," and will be rejected as trash by most domestic paper mills.
Q: You say we recycle #1 and #2 plastic, but there are a lot of food containers at the Bistro labeled #1 that are thrown away. Why aren't they being recycled?
A: Clark's program recycles only #1 and #2 plastic bottles with narrow necks, because there is a large volume of these items available for collection and recycling, and because a strong market exists for these specific types of plastic. Even though the Bistro containers are labeled with #1, the plastic has a slightly different chemical composition than a #1 plastic bottle due to the manner in which it was manufactured. This slight chemical difference becomes very important when plastic is recycled. If the individual containers in a batch of plastic being melted for recycling aren't identical in chemical composition, the product being made from the recycled plastic may be flawed and the manufacturer won't be able to sell it. For an explanation of why we can't just collect and recycle Bistro containers separately, please see "Why don't we recycle more types of items?" below.
Q: Why don't we recycle more types of items?
A: In order for recycling of a specific item to be cost effective, the volume of that material available for recycling must be large enough so that the recycling facility can economically sort, store, and market the material. Once this hurdle is overcome, markets must exist for the material, otherwise the product that has been collected won't get recycled. Lastly, some products for which there are sufficient volumes and markets pose a problem in the collection process (such as plastic bags). The materials that Clark recycles, particularly those collected by the Recycling Center, are the only materials that are currently cost-effective to recycle on campus. Clark continues to explore opportunities to expand the types of items that are recyclable on campus.
Q: My building's recycling bin is full, how can I get it picked up?
A: First, check the Recycling Pick-up Schedule to see when your building is scheduled for a pick-up this semester. Most campus buildings are scheduled for weekly pick-up. During the summer months, the recycling program operates with a reduced staff; please note that for Summer 2005, there is no set pickup schedule. If an emergency pick-up is necessary,
please let us know. Please allow a day or two for the pickup to occur so that we may perform the pickup without adversely affecting the pickup schedule for the rest of campus.
Q: Is it possible to request an extra bin when our office cleans out files?
A: Absolutely. You may make your request by
calling the Recycling Center or the
Campus Sustainability Coordinator. Recycling staff can deliver an extra bin or two (depending on your needs) when they make their normal pick-up from your building. Please help us to help you by giving us a few days notice!
Q: I saw my custodian emptying the recycling bins into a large trash bag. Is all our recycling just getting trashed?
A: All custodians are instructed to not put recyclables in the trash. In residence halls and houses, if a bin is full, custodians will occasionally empty the bins into trash bags and store the full bags in another part of the building until the Recycling Center can make a pickup. In offices, custodians should be emptying the desk-side trash and recycling containers into separate trash bags for removal from the office areas; recycling is generally taken to each building's large grey recycling bins for pickup by the Recycling Center, while trash is brought to the nearest dumpster or trash compactor. If you truly believe the recyclables are being thrown away, please
contact us so that we can address the issue appropriately.
Q: Where do I get a recycling bin?
A: Contact Dave Schmidt, Campus
Sustainability Coordinator. A number of different types of bins are available, including 40-gallon and 50-gallon sizes - a little larger than a standard household trash barrel - that are intended to service departments or buildings, and personal desk-side recycling bins. Alternatively, departments are welcome to purchase their own recycling bins; please contact us before purchasing bins so that we can ensure they will be compatible with our collection abilities.
Q: Where does all the recycling go once it leaves campus?
A: Most of Clark's recyclables are handled by the Institutional Recycling Network. IRN combines Clark's recyclables with those from other institutions and markets them based on the best available market price. Therefore, the final destination may vary.
Q: Why can't we recycle pizza boxes?
A: Most empty pizza boxes also include grease and cheese, both of which are considered contaminants when mixed with recyclable paper. Please refrain from placing pizza boxes in recycling bins.
Q: Do I have to rinse my containers?
A: All containers should be empty, and food containers should be rinsed clean whenever possible. Please remember that sticky or dirty containers can generate odor as well as attract insects and/or rodents.
Q: Why are there so many restrictions on what can and can't be recycled?
A: The restrictions on recyclable materials make a lot more sense if you think of recyclables as a raw material in the manufacturing process. Because what we're throwing away will eventually be used to make a new product, the restrictions reflect the demand from manufacturing plants for the type of material they need to make their products.
Q: I'm moving and I need some boxes. Are boxes available at the Recycling Center?
A: The Recycling Center generally does not save cardboard boxes of any variety unless a specific request is made. If you are looking for boxes, please
call the Recycling Center a few days in advance so that boxes can be set aside for you as they come in. Please be aware that boxes requested but not immediately picked up may be recycled or, near the end of the semester, may be given to another requestor.
Q: My question isn't on this list of FAQ's - who can I call?
A: Contact Dave Schmidt, Campus Sustainability
Coordinator.
Q: Recycling is a lot more interesting than I thought, where can I find more information?
A: Much information about recycling can be found on the internet using your favorite search engine. For more information on recycling in Massachusetts, visit www.state.ma.us/dep/recycle; for more general information, visit the Environmental Protection Agency's website at http://www.epa.gov/epaoswer/non-hw/muncpl/index.htm.
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