This is where change begins.
Ask a Question or Report a Problem
Your feedback and observations are an important component to the success of our recycling program. Recycling involves participation at many different levels. When mistakes happen, it is critical to resolve them swiftly to ensure people do not loose faith in the process.
Recycling Tips
- Remove food, liquids or other contents and rinse/wipe clean before recycling.
- Put items in loose and not bagged.
- Place shredded paper in a clear plastic bag.
- Separate plastic bags/over-wrap from newspapers, flyers, magazines prior to recycling paper products.
- Not all items with a recycling symbol are accepted in UB's recycling program.
Still unsure what to recycle?
I thought plastic bags were recyclable?
Clean plastic bags and plastic film are recyclable, but only if placed in designated plastic film recycling bins. Film plastics should not be placed in your home or campus recycling bins. New York State requires most grocery stores to provide drop-off locations to recycle these materials.
- grocery bags
- garment bags
- retail bags with string ties removed
- newspaper bags
- dry cleaning bags
- produce bags
- bread bags
- cereal bags (not waxed paper)
- over wrap from paper products (paper towels, toilet paper, etc.)
- stretch/shrink wrap
- zip top food storage bags
- bubble wrap
- air pillows found inside shipping packages (must be deflated)
- shipping envelopes (must be all film plastic, labels removed)
- furniture and electronic wrap
- any film packaging or bag with the "How2Recycle" label indicating that it is plastic film and can be returned to store drop off
Why can't I recycle paper coffee cups?
Paper coffee cups are composed of "sheets" of paper and "sheets" of plastic. The process to uncouple these two materials is costly and as a result the cups cannot be recycled by our vendor.
Is clear glass really recycled?
Clear glass placed in UB recycling bins is crushed and used in place of quarried stone in construction projects.