What We Recycle

Wesleyan now has single-stream recycling!

Single‐stream recycling means that all paper, glass, metal, and plastic recyclables go into a single recycling bin and are sorted at the recycling facility. Single-stream recycling is much easier for you, but can increase contamination from dirty items. If a recycling bin is too contaminated, it can make the entire bin unusable for recycling. Therefore, it is very important to empty and rinse all food containers and dirty items before recycling them.

Download a recycling handout or poster for detailed information on what we recycle at Wesleyan.

SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING (Paper, Glass, Metal, & Plastic)

YES

NO

Paper

  • White/colored paper
  • Copy paper ream wrap
  • Envelopes
  • Manila folders
  • Carbonless office forms
  • Post-It notes
  • Newspaper
  • Magazines
  • Hardback/paperback books
  • Junk mail
  • Cereal boxes (remove plastic liner)
  • Pizza boxes (rip in half, greasy half is trash)
  • Corrugated and non-corrugated cardboard

Plastic

  • Plastic #1 - 7 (drink bottles, yogurt cups, shampoo bottles, and peanut butter jars); check the bottom of most plastic containers for these symbols: Recycling Symbols
  • Plastic cutlery
  • Styrofoam containers

Glass

  • Bottles and jars

Metal

  • Soda and beer cans
  • Food cans
  • Aluminum food containers (clean)
  • Aluminum foil (clean)
  • K-Cup foil lids (detach from plastic)
Other
  • Milk cartons
  • Juice boxes
  • CDs, DVDs, and floppy disks
  • Plastic bags
  • Dirty or food contaminated items (including greasy pizza boxes)
  • Plastic wrap
  • K-Cup coffee pods
  • Plastic/Tyvek envelopes
  • Fed Ex/UPS-type envelopes
  • Bubble wrap and packing peanuts (see "other" section)
  • Carbon paper
  • Paper towels/tissues
  • Paper with crayon/poster paint
  • Glossy paper
  • Pyrex
  • Photos
  • Light bulbs

WHERE: Mixed recycling bins are available at most locations on campus.

 

OTHER

YES
  • Aerosol cans
  • Batteries (lead acid, NiCad, Li Ion, NiMh, Li)
  • Bubble wrap and packing peanuts
  • Cell phones
  • Computers and electronic equipment
  • Fluorescent bulbs
  • Motor oil
  • Inkjet and toner cartridges
  • Scrap metal
  • Shoes (wearable)
  • Styrofoam (block)
  • Textiles (clean linens, towels, clothing)

WHERE: Go to Where We Recycle - by category