Paper recycling at the University is maintained by the Physical Plant Department. Several times each week, custodial staff empty the grey recycling bins from computer labs, libraries, individual offices, and public areas. Twice a week (Tuesdays/Thursdays), the Physical Plant truck crew collects the paper using the university garbage and recycling truck and transports the material to Versatech Industries, a local not-for-profit recycling organization that provides work-related training and jobs for people who are mentally challenged.
Versatech sorts and bales the paper into three categories - newsprint, cardboard and mixed office paper - before selling it to different paper mills. Every tonne of paper diverted from landfill makes a big difference. In the fiscal year 2010/11, the University recycled and diverted over 303 tonnes of paper from the landfill - the equivalent of more than 5151 mature trees!
For convenience, all of your recyclable paper can go into a single bin without any sorting. Non-recyclable paper products, such as carbon paper, paper cups, paper plates, used hand towels or tissues, should go in the garbage.
ACCEPTABLE ITEMS IN PAPER RECYCLING PROGRAM
| White Office Paper | No need to remove staples. Paper clips and rubbers bands should be removed and can be reused. |
| Coloured Office Paper | Same as above. File folders and carbonless forms are accepted. |
| Envelopes of all kinds | No need to remove plastic windows! |
| Newsprint and flyers | Old news is recyclable news! |
| Boxboard | Supplies are often packaged using boxboard, as are some brands of candy and most cereal boxes. |
| Cardboard | Please remove any non-recyclable packaging material, such as styrofoam, before flattening boxes. |
| Magazines | Includes all soft-cover magazines, catalogues and glossy papers. |
| Phonebooks | Old U of M phone books, plus MTS White & Yellow pages can all go in the recycling bin as is (no need to remove bindings). |
| Books | Soft-cover books are recyclable and can go straight into the recycling bin as is. If a soft covered book has a plastic coil binding, please remove it first. Hard-cover books, however, are only recyclable if the covers are separated from the book beforehand. |
| Other | Other types of materials accepted include: lined paper, old notebooks, exercise books and file folders. |
COMMON CONTAMINANTS THAT SHOULD GO IN THE GARBAGE INCLUDE:
| Styrofoam | Styrofoam is a non-recyclable form of plastic that has to go in the garbage. Please avoid it wherever possible! |
| Paper Cups | Any paper product that has come in contact with food, such as paper cups, plates, and napkins, should go into the garbage. |
| Food Waste | At this point, there is no composting program on campus. |
| Overheads | Please send them to the Waste Prevention Office in an inter-department envelope or box them up and send them with truck messenger (474-9649) |
| Carbon Paper | Is non-recyclable, though carbonless forms are fine. |
| Kleenex/Tissues | Please put in the garbage. |
| Hand Towels | Electronic hand dryers or reusable cloth towels are cheaper and more sustainable options - please use them instead of wasteful hand towels when you can. |
CONTAINERS
Beverage containers are collected in either blue or green bins. Blue bins take most household type containers, including aluminum cans, plastic pop bottles, plastic iced cappuccino cups, milk cartons, milk jugs, drink boxes, yogurt and margarine containers, shampoo/conditioner bottles, laundry detergent bottles, other plastics that have a recycling symbol as well as steel cans.
Green bins accept all glass. Unfortunately, market conditions for glass are poor, therefore consider limiting the amount of glass you consume on campus. (Note: The University of Manitoba's glass is crushed and used for roadfill as a replacement for gravel).
WHAT CAN PAPER, CARDBOARD AND CONTAINERS BE MADE INTO?
If you are curious enough to find out what paper and containers get recycled into once they leave the University then click here!