Recycling

Now Hiring: Recycling Crew Student Employees

Are you looking for a job? We are currently hiring in our UAA Recycling Department! 

Apply Here for Recycling Program Crew Job #528334

Girl holding a recycling sign, Recycling Program Crew $14.96 an hour job #528334, now hiring on campus student employee apply online today at careers.alaska.edu

Upcoming GSS Closures & Mail Route Adjustments

Friday, December 20—GSS will close at 11:00 am
and will NOT REOPEN UNTIL January 2.

All outgoing mail including FedEx and UPS must be received at the Mailroom counter by 10:00 am to be processed before the winter closure.
No afternoon mail routes this day. No Recycling services this day. Customers expecting incoming packages or Copy Center deliveries on afternoon route must pick up items before 11:00 am.

Monday, December 23—Full day GSS closure.
No mail routes or other services available this date.
We will reopen on Thursday, January 2.

♻ The recycling program began as a student-run initiative in 2000. Just three years later, recycling workers extended their service to create a university-wide recycling program; recycling is now part of General Support Services.

 

Who can recycle on campus?

Everyone! There are public bins for mixed paper, cardboard, cans and plastic bottles distributed throughout campus—keep an eye out for the blue bins with the recycling symbol ♻.

Departments are asked to place all recycling in the centrally located building bins.  Due to limited resources, we are currently unable to pick up from individual suites/break rooms. Find out more about departmental services, including recycling batteries and computer items, on the intranet:

  Faculty & Staff Resources

 

What can I recycle? DOs and DON'Ts

Mixed Paper & Cardboard

Includes:

  • White or color sheet paper
  • Glossy paper
  • Junk mail
  • Window envelopes
  • Paper board (e.g., cereal boxes)
  • Gift wrap
  • Paper egg cartons
  • Flattened cardboard (place next to the recycling bin)
  • Staples are okay

Examples of recycleable mixed paper and cardboard

DOES NOT Include:

  • Milk or juice cartons or boxes
  • Hardcover books
  • Binder clips
  • Any metal/plastic bindings

Do not include milk or juice jugs

Cans 

Includes:

  • Tin cans & aluminum cans
  • Disposable bakeware (muffin tins, lasagna trays)
  • Aluminum foil
  • Foil yogurt tops

*Be sure to rinse off any food left on items.

Examples of recycleable cans and metals

DOES NOT Include:

  • Scrap metal of any kind

Plastic

Includes:

  • #1 PETE bottles or jugs with a neck
  • #2 HDPE bottles or jugs with a neck

PETE #1 and HDPE #2 Plastics Examples

DOES NOT Include:

  • Bottle caps
  • #3 through #7 plastics
  • Tubs (e.g., yogurt)
  • Cups
  • Take-out containers
  • Bottles that held chemicals
  • Plastic bags
  • Stretch film

Examples of plastics can not recycle including sandwich bags, shopping bags, and plastics #3-7.

Schedule

We are currently running our fall schedule, effective October 1, 2024. The Recycling crew will be by to pick up recycling Tuesdays, Thursdays and Fridays (see building schedule below).

We will be checking high volume locations as other GSS team staff are able. Please help us by emailing Recycling if you see a full bin or accumulation of cardboard. 

The Recycling crew will do its best to announce schedule changes at least one week in advance.

Please remember that while we do have our schedule for which buildings are serviced on certain days, specific times cannot be guaranteed.

It is advised that all materials be ready and accessible at 8:00AM on the scheduled day to ensure pick-up.


  • Schedule

    TUESDAY

    • Student Union
    • Avis Alaska Sports Complex
    • Enrollment Services Center
    • Rasmuson HalL
    • Spine 1 and 2
    • ANSEP Building
    • Auto/Diesel Technologies
    • Lucy Cuddy Hall
    • Beatrice McDonald Hall
    • Eugene Short Hall

     

    THURSDAY

    • Engineering & Industry Building
    • Health Sciences BuildinG
    • Professional Studies Building
    • Wendy Williamson-Auditorium
    • Gordon Hartlieb Hall
    • Allied Health Sciences
    • Engineering & Computation Building
    • Natural Sciences Building
    • Social Sciences Building
    • Ecosystem Biomedical Health Laboratory
    • Bragaw Buildings
      • Bragaw Office 1
      • Bragaw Office 2
    • Aviation Technologies Building

     

    FRIDAY

    • Consortium Library
    • University Lake Annex
    • Alaska Airlines Center
    • MAC Student Housing
    • Edward Lee Gorsuch Commons
    • Residential Life Office
    • North Hall Student Housing
    • West Hall Student Housing
    • East Hall Student Housing
    • Fine Arts Building
    • ANSEP Academy Building
    • Conoco Philips Integrated Science Building
    • Administrative & Humanities Building

 

  

"Can I Recycle..." FAQs 

  • Food containers?
    While you can recycle plastic soda and water bottles (please rinse them out), you cannot recycle food containers. Avoid placing food containers in recycle bins as it will contaminate the entire bin and it will all need to be thrown out.  
  • Coffee cups?
    Unfortunately, no. Coffee cups come with a lining which inhibits it from being a recyclable material.
  • Used paper plates, cups, napkins, and towels?

    While it is true that these materials are generally made from paper, most of these items (once used) have food residue on them. For example, if pizza boxes have cheese or grease on the cardboard, they cannot be recycled.

  • Batteries?
    Personal batteries such as AA can be taken to Total Reclaim. Batteries purchased for and consumed by UAA can be recycled at UAA—see the Faculty & Staff Resources Recycling page for more information.

    In addition to the mixed paper, cardboard, plastics #1 and #2, and glass (see the public-facing webpage for more details), UAA departments can also recycle batteries and computer and circuit boards.

    Includes:

    • Alkaline (e.g., found in remote controllers, stereos, cameras, and CD players
    • Lithium (e.g., found in digital cameras and computer motherboards)
    • Lithium-ion (also known as “rechargeable;" e.g., found in laptops, cell phones)
    • Nickel metal hydride (e.g., found in cordless phones, power tools, and digital cameras)
    • Nickel cadmium/“wet cell” (e.g., found in aircraft, and solar applications)
    • Nickel cadmium/“dry cell” (e.g., found in remote controllers, telephones, and portable radios)
    • Lantern-type 6-volt batteries

    Instructions

    Tape all anodes. Then batteries should be placed in a bag, labeled as “Recycle” and tape to or place directly next to the paper or mixed recycling bins.

  • Glass?
    Yes! For beverages or food items bought or consumed on campus, place the glass container in either bins designated for can or plastic recycling. The UAA Recycle Crew will sort it out for you. 
  • Books?
    Yes; however, here are a few rules to keep in mind. Paperback books may be recycled and it's okay to keep both the front and back covers in tact. Hardcover books must have the front and back covers removed before recycling. Books that are bound must have the bindings removed before recycling. 

Contact

907-786-1129
UAA Recycling
907-786-1129
uaa.recycling@alaska.edu 

Employment Opportunities

The UAA Recycling team is operated by student employees. Interested in supporting UAA in its green endeavors while also earning some green? Check to see if there are some open positions on UA Careers.