Campus Recycling and Refuse Services

Mixed paper and Cardboard: Campus inhabitants in buildings (estimated 13,000 offices) on campus all have the opportunity to recycle mixed paper (including cardboard) at their desk side (8 gallon buckets). Custodial Services collects mixed paper along with refuse, and delivers it to the service area, where 96 gallon Toters, or 2 cubic yard rear loading bins are collected by CRRS anywhere from daily to weekly, based on volume, by a converted rear load packer truck. Large amounts of paper can be taken to the buildings' large outdoor paper recycling bin or a special office clean-out recycling bin can be requested on a temporary basis.

Outdoor paper recycling bin locations

Special Clean-Out Recycling Bin Request Form

Beverage Containers: In most buildings, the East Bay Conservation Corps (EBCC) maintains beverage container collection containers (33-45 gallon brute barrels). Pick-up is coordinated by CRRS. If you do not currently have a beverage container recycling receptacle, but would like to request placement of one, please note the following guidelines:

Your location needs to generate at least 45 gallons per month of beverage containers to place a container there. For reference, you blue, deskside mixed paper recycling bin holds 8 gallons.
We only place bins in locations that can be reached without key access during normal working hours.
There needs to be a wall or other space for permanent signage explaining what goes in the bin.

We need a contact person (including phone number) who will take responsibility for contacting CRRS when the bin needs to be picked up, and whom we can contact if there are any contamination or other issues.

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Toner Cartridges: Mail Services and Campus Recycling and Refuse offer a free inkjet/toner cartridge recycling program for the Berkeley campus called "Rethink Your Ink."

Copiers/Fax Machines/Laser Printers: For TONER cartridges, put the empty toner cartridge in its original box, seal it, and place it in the outgoing campus mail. No need for labels or postage. If the original package is not available, use a similar box. Unfortunately, the program is unable to accept leaking or unpackaged toner cartridges.
Ink Jet Printers: For INKJET cartridges, take a plastic pouch with pre-paid postage from the display in your mailroom, peel off the plastic strip, insert the single cartridge, seal it, and place it in the designated outgoing campus mail container. If you do not have a display unit in your mailroom or mail receiving area, e-mail us at recycle@berkeley.edu, and request the number of pouches you require.

This service is completely free. For more info or to download a copy of the program poster, click here.

Public Recycling Bins:
Mixed paper and beverage containers are collected in silver EcoPop public outdoor recycling receptacles weekly by CRRS. See our public bin recycling map.

Special Clean-Out Recycling Bins: request here

Residence Hall Recycling: see Recycling in the Residence Hall

Green Waste:
Throughout Campus, green waste, clean wood waste and dirt are collected and chipped or composted. Two cubic yard bins are provided at strategic locations for use by gardeners and grounds workers. Either weekly or every other week, a converted packer truck, operated by CRRS, collects these materials throughout campus and delivers them to the City of Berkeley composting transfer site.

Click here for a map of the Yardwaste/Organics Green Bin locations

Special Events: Beverage container and mixed paper and/or cardboard recycling services are available for conferences, large receptions or other special events through CRRS. See our Special Events Recycling Factsheet for more details.

End-of-Semester/Year-End Clean-Out/Super Recycling Day: the University and the City work jointly to offer extensive recycling and reuse opportunities during the end of semester move-out. Targeted materials include: clothing, couches, mattresses, books, small appliances, house wares, paper, cardboard, and other materials. These are placed out at curbside on designated days for collection. Used readers and notebooks are also collected by SOURCE for redistribution or reuse. See the Spring 2000 outlines for information on how it has been conducted in the past. (link to Flyer-end of semester '00-dorms and Flyer-end of semester '00-off campus)

Recycled Product Purchasing Advising:
CRRS staff can provide free consulting services on resources for recycled-content products. Office supply purchasers are encouraged to purchase white copy paper from the Recycled Products Purchasing Cooperative, which carries high quality paper at cost-competitive prices. Please also see our information on the importance of buying recycled products.

Physical Plant-Campus Services Corporation Yard: Metal (ferrous and non-ferrous) generated on campus from physical plant operations is brought daily to a 20 cubic yard mixed metal debris box located in the corporation yard. Wood pallets and crating are collected for composting by CRRS from the shipping and receiving area of the corporation yard.

ACWMA Internships: Funding for recycling and reuse-oriented internships is available through CRRS with funding assistance from the Alameda County Waste Management Authority (ACWMA) and Source Reduction and Recycling Board. Recent internships include a waste audit, buy recycled outreach, an analysis of recycling infrastructure by building, expanded dorm recycling outreach, a food reuse project, a dorm post-consumer food waste project, and a science materials reuse to schools project.

Dining Hall/Campus Restaurants Food Compost: Five Dining Halls, numerous USCA Co-operative Student Houses, Greek Houses, and campus restaurants save their pre-consumer food scraps for worm and pile composting by Berkeley Worms. With cooperation from Housing and Dining Services, Berkeley Worms collects virtually all pre-consumer campus food wastes. They begin the first stage of processing with a specially designed grinder truck. The material, once composted, is bagged and sold at local farmers markets, plant nurseries, and in the bulk landscaping market. The worm castings are a high-end soil amendment, known to boost plant vigor and growth. More information can be obtained at http://www.ocf.berkeley.edu/~compost, phone: 643-0440, fax: 642-7947, or email: compost@ocf.berkeley.edu

UC Printing Services & Mail Services Paper: UC Printing Services has a technically complex paper recycling collection system that involves negative air pressure systems with feed into a large baler. The system was installed and is maintained by the vendor. Junk and other undeliverable and over-run mail is culled at the Mail Services facility, and recycled in a 20 cubic yard mixed paper box.

Excess, Surplus and Salvage: This reuse/resale arm of the university (under Materiel Management) collects or receives and sells furniture, office equipment, computer and lab equipment and other inventorial and supply items from campus departments. The items are available to the public through a yearly auction, in addition to a weekly salvage store operation. Materials that cannot be sold or donated for reuse are collected by local metal recyclers. Wood, paper and cardboard recycling services are provided by CRRS. More information can be obtained from ESS at http://www-propmgmt.matl.berkeley.edu/excess/intro.htm, phone: 642-1186, fax: 642-5936, or by campus mail, 6701 San Pablo Ave., Mail Code: #5604.