Recycle Clean Today, For a Better Tomorrow

NAU’s Recycling System is Changing

As of Spring 2023, there will be a series of changes to the recycling system used on campus.

As part of NAU’s sustainability journey, the Office of Sustainability is very excited to announce that we are revamping our indoor recycling and landfill bin system. This project is a collaboration between the student-led NAU Green Fund and the NAU administration and is greatly needed. This revamp will streamline the system and will increase recycling on campus.

Why are these changes happening?

Upgrading our indoor bin system is long overdue and greatly needed.
A lack of campus-wide uniformity in bins has been an issue for a while.
Because bins across our buildings are not consistent in placement, design, and color, students, faculty, and staff might be confused about which materials should go to which bins.
Clean recycling reduces the amount of waste sent to landfills, prevents pollution, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.
The Office of Sustainability’s goal is to reduce the contamination of items recycled on campus. When contaminants interact with recyclables, the quality of the recyclable is reduced or eliminated. Contamination is considered to be any material that is not accepted in Flagstaff’s recycling collection. All liquids and organics are contaminants. For example, although cardboard pizza boxes are recyclable, if they are oily or have food inside, they are not recyclable. When in doubt, throw it out!

What are the new features of this system?

Recycling bins will be blue with a white recycling symbol and landfill bins will be brown with a landfill symbol.
We will provide added capacity for both recycling and landfill bins in common areas.
Deskside bins will only be for recycling. Landfill materials can be disposed of in common hallway bins. This strategy will allow for more effective use of scarce custodial time, improve recycling rates, and decrease recyclable contamination.
In most cases, large lobby unit bins with both recycling and landfill bins will be placed outside of classrooms, instead of small bins inside the classroom.

When will the new bins arrive?

Gradual deployment throughout the Fall 2023 semester.
The Office of Sustainability will reach out with more communications and updates closer to when the new bins will be placed in your building.
The Office of Sustainability knows that change requires adjustment and asks for your patience and collaboration as we go through this process.
Departments should not purchase and install additional garbage bins for offices. We ask that faculty and staff do not bring their own personal bins, as that will add to the workload of our custodial staff and will impact the uniformity of the bin system.
If the location and/or density of the hallway bins are not ideal, please let us know so we can work to resolve the issue.