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.
- Do not put recyclable items in plastic bags when disposing. Place items in recycling containers loose.
- 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?
Request recycling bins
All employees are provided with a blue deskside recycle bin and "side saddle" black trash container.
If you need a container, please place a work order with Facilities Customer Service.
- Recycle bins are not lined with bags. Our hauler requires recycling to arrive at the processing facility loose, and unbagged for sorting purposes. Plastic bags (i.e. plastic film) jam equipment and cannot be recycled.
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 black plastic?
Black plastic is extremely difficult to recycle, due to technological limitations. When received by MRFs (Material Recovery Facilities) the optical sorters have a hard time differentiating black plastics items from the black conveyor belt which automatically moves materials through the sorting system.
Can I recycle paper coffee cups?
Yes! Paper coffee cups can now by recycled by our vendor.