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FAQ's
- What is Recycling doing on campus?
- What is the current recycling situation on MSU?
- Why should I recycle? What are the benefits of recycling?
- How can I get more involved in recycling?
- What are some things I can do as an MSU student?
- Can I bring our building’s recycled materials to your facility or do they have to be picked up?
- I'm an MSU employee/student; can I bring my recycled materials from home?
- How do I know if something is recyclable?/What can I put in my recycling containers?
- About how long does it take for my pick-up request to be serviced?
- Where can I recycle things that the Recycling Center does not take?
- Is there anything that I can do with "good junk", instead of throwing it away?
- What do I do for an office/large clean-outs?
- My containers in my office are overflowing, what do I do?
- Can you provide plastic bags for my shred?
- Do you have containers for pop cans?
- What can I do with old VHS tapes?
- What can I do with empty aerosol containers (shaving cream, etc)?
- I’m having an event on MSU’s campus. How can I get recycling services?
- Where does paper go when we send it away?
- I want to recycle but my department does not want to pay a lot for containers. What’s the cheapest container I can get?
- What is Recycling doing on campus?
Recycling’s comprehensive recycling program is diverting thousands of pounds from the landfills each year. The five materials collected in Phase I are: white office paper, mixed office paper, newspaper, cardboard, and #1 and #2 plastics.
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- What is the current recycling situation on MSU?
In partnership with Recycling and Be Spartan Green, Housing and Food Services has established a comprehensive recycling program in all of the residence halls and kitchens on campus. The program includes: white office paper, mixed office paper, newspaper, #1 and #2 plastics, cardboard, boxboard, and metal from the kitchens. Boxboard and metal were included because of the volume. They are not collected in academic and operation buildings at this time.
Academic and operation buildings campus-wide have a Phase I recycling program focusing on the five materials as well (white office paper, mixed office paper, newspaper, #1 and #2 plastics, and cardboard).
We also have our Education Team working hard on developing a consistent, clear message to campus. We are working in partnership with the campaign for environmental stewardship on campus towards a “true transformation to carry forward the values of teaching, education and outreach on a global scale.”
In 2005, Michigan State University was issued a unique challenge by President Lou Anna K. Simon to move the institution from land-grant to world-grant by 2012. She named this strategic vision Boldness By Design. Environmental Stewardship was among the programs that were implemented under the umbrella of Boldness By Design. Instead of making a simple change to increase recycling or use less energy, the VP office, Be Spartan Green and Recycling promised to be truly bold and make systemic changes in the way that we understood and addressed environmental stewardship. The VP office and Be Spartan Green created a systems team, which included students, faculty and staff, to study inputs to campus, campus systems & processes and outputs leaving the campus. Using this approach, the Environmental Stewardship systems team explored challenges from technical staff collaboration, institutional support and a holistic, process driven approach to environmental stewardship.
Learn about the projects, news resources, and other information about the Be Spartan Green effort.
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- Why should I recycle? What are the benefits of recycling?
The biggest benefit of recycling anything is that it does not end up in our landfills. By recycling materials, we not only keep them out of the landfill, but we also are making a reusable item. For example, by recycling paper, we make more paper, thus decreasing the need to cut down more trees. Recycling also saves energy, conserves natural resources, and creates thousands of jobs for the state of Michigan.
As a university, we are able to collect the recyclables and send them to the appropriate facilities in bulk. This action cuts down the energy used to transport the materials, saving more resources in the process.
In the end, the best way to help the earth is to not use the material in the first place. Think twice before you print something, could not you just keep an electronic copy?
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- How can I get more involved in recycling?
As we work with the residence halls, we are creating Environmental Steward teams made of faculty, staff, and students. This team helps disseminate information about recycling, energy, and waste issues. In particular, these wonderful folks are stewards for their buildings to help their coworkers decrease waste, reduce energy usage and increase recycling. You can help us distribute important information about issues that arise. Interested in becoming an Environmental Steward? Please contact Lauren Olson, program coordinator in the Office of Campus Sustainability.
At home, contact your local community for information about getting involved in recycling. Often, they are searching for volunteers for special collection events and other projects.
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- What are some things I can do as an MSU student?
You can join the Environmental Steward team in your residence hall or the academic building you spend your time in.
If you live off-campus, locate your city's recycling center or bring a few things with you each day onto campus to recycle.
Take the time to learn what can and cannot go into specific recycling containers.
Provide feedback to your residence hall mentor or manager on how you feel the program is working.
You can join one of the many student recycling organizations on campus.
Go to the Tips, Facts and Games and to Reduce Waste to find out more!
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- Can I bring our building’s recycled materials to your facility or do they have to be picked up?
Materials already collected in your building will be picked up during our regular stops. If you have a material that is accepted at our recycling facility, but we do not pick up from your campus location, you will need to transport the accepted materials to our recycling facility located at 1344 South Harrison, East Lansing, MI 48823. These materials may include: boxboard, glass, metal, etc.
We do not collect or provide recycling boxes for returnables and suggest that a group from your building collects them for fundraising.
If you are unsure, please call our hotline: 355-1723.
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- I'm an MSU employee/student; can I bring my recycled materials from home?
No, not until the new facility and drop-off center is complete. The campus recycling program is designed for University generated materials only.
When the new facility is complete in the summer of 2009, there will be a drop-off center available for MSU employees and students. Please contact your local community for information about recycling options.
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- How do I know if something is recyclable?/What can I put in my recycling containers?
Check out the In the Office section under "What Can I Recycle" If you have questions on the basic materials collected, please call the Recycling Hotline: 355-1723 or bring us a sample and we will ask our processor if they can recycle it.
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- About how long does it take for my pick-up request to be serviced?
Refuse and Recycling requests are put into the queue for their regular route and are generally completed within 1-2 BUSINESS days. Different materials are picked up on different days so the schedule is constantly being adjusted according to the volume of each.
If you want containers delivered for an event or clean-outs, that time line will be determined by the type and size of the request.
If you have special circumstances, please let us know and we will do our best to accommodate them.
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- Where can I recycle things that the Recycling Center does not take?
Visit RecyclingCenters.org or Ingham County Recycling Sites to find a recycling center closest to you.
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- Is there anything that I can do with "good junk", instead of throwing it away?
Take it to the MSU Surplus Store! Go to their web site for information and directions.
The public resale days are Tuesdays 7:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. and Fridays 7:30 a.m. – 3:30 p.m. Contact them today at (517) 355-0364.
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- What do I do for an office/large clean-outs?
Order bins to by contacting us at: 355-1723. More information >>
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- My containers in my office are overflowing, what do I do? Contact your custodians to help.
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- Can you provide plastic bags for my shred?
No, shred bags are a department responsibility. Contact University Stores or your preferred office supply company.
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- Do you have containers for pop cans?
No, we can not supply bins for this purpose; feel free to find a appropriate container to use. This would be a great fundraiser.
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- What can I do with old VHS tapes?
Contact the MSU Surplus Store.
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- What can I do with empty aerosol containers (shaving cream, etc)?
Contact The Office of Radiation, Chemical & Biological Safety (ORCBS) to find a way to recycle your empty aerosol containers:
C124 Research Complex - Engineering
East Lansing, MI 48824-1326
Phone: (517) 355-0153
Fax: (517) 353-4871
E-Mail: orcbs@msu.edu
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- I’m having an outdoor event on MSU’s campus. How can I get recycling services?
Contact:
Mary Clark
Events
Custodial Services Department
517-355-8485 or 517-432-0552
mjclark@pplant.msu.edu
clarkm12@msu.edu
39 Physical Plant Bldg.
East Lansing, MI 48824
www.pp.msu.edu
- Where does paper go when we send it away?
- I want to recycle but my department does not want to pay a lot for containers. What’s the cheapest container I can get?
We provide free at-desk boxes (limited quantities) to on-campus customers. Or, if you are not sure what type of container to order, call the Recycling Hotline at 355-1723 to discuss your department needs.
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