Recycling and Waste
UCLA is striving to manage the diversity of waste materials produced by the variety of operations on campus, including medical, residential, research, and dining facilities. Through a variety of programs, 58% percent of our waste stream is diverted from landfill. Along with the other campuses in the University of California system, are aiming for 75% in 2012 and 100% diversion or Zero Waste by 2020. This ambitious goal will require the active participation of everyone on campus.
The Facilities Management Recycling Program enhances the UCLA environment by diverting substantial amounts of refuse from landfills and encouraging more responsible use of natural resources. Initiated in 1990, the program currently recycles nearly 9 million pounds generated annually by the UCLA community. About 44 percent of our waste is recycled. An additional 14 percent of the total waste stream was sent to an AQMD-approved refuse-to-energy plant where it is used to produce electricity, and the remaining approximately 45 percent of the total campus solid waste stream goes to landfill. The campus continues to develop waste management strategies to minimize landfill impacts, and is beginning to adopt procurement strategies that reduce waste.
UCLA recycles:
- Whitepaper
- Mixed Paper,Cardboard and Newspaper
- Beverage Containers and Mixed Recyclables
- Green Waste
- Rock product, Wood and Metal
- Ink cartridges, electronic waste
- Hazardous Waste
Questions? Please check out the Recycling FAQ
If your questions are not answered there you can email UCLArecycling@gmail.com. If you need an additional bin in your office or department click here for the Online Bin Request Form
Deskside Recycling
In UCLA began a deskside recycling program, placing individual smaller bins under desks throughout campus for collection of paper. Each desk has two bins, a blue one for white paper and a grey one for mixed paper, which includes glossy paper, magazines, post-it notes, and a variety of other office materials.This program is currently in 21 buildings throughout campus. If your building does not yet have deskside recycling and you would like to request a bin, please fill out the online bin request form.
Deskside Recycling Bins
Whitepaper
Facilities Management focuses on recycling white paper because it is a particularly important recycling commodity. While many grades of paper can only be recycled into ceiling felt or home insulation, white paper can be recycled to produce still more white paper. Recycling white paper helps protect the environment by allowing us to use fewer natural resources. Over 600 white paper recycling bins have been strategically placed in copy rooms and computer labs throughout campus. The effort now recycles over 600,000 pounds of white paper per year. If your department does not have a large white paper recycling bin and would like to request one, please fill out the online bin request form.
Collection of white paper from over 600 bins throughout
the campus recycles over 600,000 pounds of white paper annually
Mixed Paper, Cardboard, and Newspaper
UCLA recycles over 600,000 pounds of cardboard and 1.3 million pounds of mixed paper annually. In campus buildings with significant quantities of paper waste, Facilities Management custodians perform a "negative sort," putting uncontaminated paper from trash cans into separate bags that are then sent out to be recycled as mixed paper.
In order to increase mixed paper collected and recycled, beginning in March 1999 Facilities Management placed mixed paper recycling bins in all General Assignment Classrooms. The bins accept all paper products--white, colored, cardboard, etc. If a classroom or department in your building needs a mixed paper bin please fill out the online bin request form.
We are constantly refining mixed paper collection systems. Along with the conversion of "Newspaper Only" outdoor recycling bins to mixed paper, these projects help UCLA and Facilities Management recycle a much greater proportion of paper waste.
Collected as part of the Mixed Paper Recycling program, newspapers make up part of the nearly 1.3 million pounds of mixed paper recycled annually. Newspaper recycling bins have been placed throughout campus. They are especially useful for recycling the 20,000 DAILY BRUINs that are circulated each day. Since mid-Fall 1998, all grades of paper have been allowed to be placed into the newspaper receptacles, significantly expanding the Facilities Management Recycling Program.
Recycle your DAILY BRUIN in the mixed paper recycling bins located throughout the campus.
Beverage Containers and Mixed Recyclables
A grant to Facilities Management from the California State Department of Conservation made possible beverage container recycling at UCLA! In January 2000, we began collecting beverage containers at 12 locations throughout campus. The grant paid for the recycling bins and the students who handle recycling station maintenance. You may recycle your beverage container by placing it into the appropriate bin in the triad cluster marked either "glass," "plastic" or "aluminum."Today, there are over sixty locations.The new interactive UCLA map features a map of the recycling clusters, available under map details. See bottom of this page. Additionally, tall slim-jim containers are located throughout campus in department offices. These containers formerly accepted only beverage containers and now accept non-paper mixed recyclables, including plastics #1-9. Non-paper recyclables are collected from most UCLA buildings by our custodial staff and placed in blue three cubic-yard dumpsters located near the facility. These blue bins accept all recyclables, including aluminum, glass and plastics.
Triad "cluster" bins throughout the campus are used to recycle bottles and cans.
Mixed Recyclable Bin
Blue Bins outside campus buildings receive all recyclables
including cardboard, mixed paper, aluminum, glass and plastic.
Green Waste
Facilities Management does a large amount of landscaping on campus and, consequently over 2 million pounds of green waste is recycled annually. Green three cubic-yard bins are brought to sites where green waste is produced. The green waste collected in these receptacles is transported separately from other solid waste to a recycling facility.
Most green waste never leaves UCLA. Many tree branches are turned into wood chips which are spread throughout campus and used as ground cover or mulch. Large field grass mowers have a mechanism that cut the grass and then re-cut it into such minute fragments no waste is produced.
Facilities Management collects green waste from landscaping efforts
and recycles it separately from other solid waste.
Rock Product, Wood and Metal Recycling
The rock product produced at some of UCLA's many construction sites contributes to UCLA's recycling program. Facilities Management rock product is used as road base throughout Southern California.
Facilities Management collects the wooden pallets and other wood items from loading docks throughout campus. The wood is stored in a large roll-off container picked up regularly for recycling. UCLA recycles over 120,000 pounds of wood annually.
UCLA recycles approximately 430,000 pounds of metal per year. Metal, including chairs, desks, file cabinets and other machinery, can be left at loading docks throughout campus, where it, too, is picked up for recycling.
Ink Cartridges and Electronic Waste
Facilities Management is committed to recycling inkjet and LaserJet cartridges. Empty cartridges can be sent to the Facilities Management Recycling Office where they will be properly disposed.
Computer Recycling. Due to regulations upheld by the Department of Toxic Substances Control, computers, monitors, lamps, ballasts and other electronic devices are part of universal waste. It is illegal to throw away any electronic devices in the trash cans. If said items need to be removed, departments can submit a Facilities Service Request (FSR) to Facilities Management. The community eWaste Program is also an option (see Innovation Credit 1.3 – eWaste).
UCLA Software Central coordinates a campus-wide initiative to recycle old CD, CD-ROM and DVD disks. Visit www.softwarecentral.ucla.edu for more information.
Hazardous Waste
UCLAs on-campus patient care activities and scientific research activities pose particular demands for the safe and effective management of hazardous materials including radioactive, chemical, and mixed hazardous wastes. This waste stream is managed through a state of the art Environmental Services Facility, placed in service in 2003 and specifically designed to manage, store and contain these materials by providing a safe location for accumulation and packaging for pick-up by licensed hazardous waste transporters. In addition, UCLA continues to encourage and provide regular training sessions for researchers and laboratory workers in chemical and radioactive waste minimization and recycling strategies, and training and support is provided for a Disaster Initial Response Team to handle accidental release of hazardous materials using evaluation, containment and communication procedures to minimize exposure of the campus community. And, of course, UCLA maintains a disaster response plan to address issues of public safety in the event of a natural or man-made disaster.
In conjunction with the City of LA Department of Public Works and Bureau of Sanitation, UCLA has opened a S.A.F.E. (Solvents, Automotive, Flammables, and Electronics) Collection Center housed in the Environmental Services Facility on campus. The Facility accepts off-campus, residential hazardous and electronic (i.e. old computers, printers, monitors, televisions, telephones, etc.) waste for recycling at no charge to individuals.
For more information visit Environment, Health and Safety
Waste to Energy
An additional 32% of UCLA's waste stream is diverted from landfills thanks to waste-to-energy recycling. Almost 12 million pounds per year go to a waste-to-energy plant located in an industrial section of the City of Commerce. The plant converts the waste to electricity. The modern facility has been approved by the Southern California Air Quality Management District and meets the most stringent air quality standards. Utilization of some of UCLA's waste in this efficient way helps conserve natural resources such as oil, coal and natural gas.
Recycling Cluster Locations on Campus
The new interactive UCLA map shows locations of the recycling clusters on the UCLA grounds. You can switch to Aerial view under map details for a satellite image.
If you need an additional bin in your office or department
click here for the Online Bin Request Form
Date Posted: 4/14/2008
Recycling Frequently Asked Questions
If your questions are not answered here or on the main recycling page please direct any additional questions to Chris Gallego, Recycling Coordinator, gallego@facnet.ucla.edu
Request a Recycling Bin for Your Department or Office
To request a recycling bin, please fill out the form below.
Recycling enthusiasts get tips from campus coordinators
Is it OK to put white paper with colored ink into the white paper recycling bins? What kinds of plastics can be recycled on campus? Can anyone get a battery-recycling bin in the office? The audience at a Dec. 3 Staff Assembly Learn-at-Lunch session on the university's recycling program peppered campus experts with such queries. (For the record, the answers are yes, 1-9, and of course in that order.)
UCLA Student Wins National Geographic Contest with a Film on Recycling
Alex Jeffries, a UCLA student and resTV staff member, received first place in the short film category of the National Geographic's Preserve Our Planet Film and PSA Contest for his film titled, "The Experimental Generation".
