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Recycling

Where Can I Recycle?

Our Recycling Depot is open 6:30AM to 6:30PM every day. Located at 5195 Lionfish Dr., bins are labeled for cardboard, paper, plastic, metal, glass, foam plastics, and film plastics. Electronic waste is only accepted at the warehouse, located at 5179 Lionfish Dr.

Significant quantities should be brought directly to the warehouse lot during business hours; this includes campus services, local businesses, and large loads from the public.

The depot is serviced daily. Please, if you find a bin full, neatly place bagged/flattened recyclables in front or next to the appropriate container.

Academic and administrative buildings are outfitted with centralized multi-bin stations. These bins have been chosen specifically for the types and amounts of recycling that a building generates.

All academic and administrative buildings are serviced on a weekly basis. Faculty and staff are required to empty their deskside recycling bins into the nearest centralized recycle station.

Classrooms should not have recycle bins inside the space. Instead, students, faculty, and staff are asked to carry and separate their waste at the centralized recycle stations in the main hallways of most buildings.

Dining Halls and restaurants across campus are outfitted with Max-R multi-bin recycling stations that were purchased through a partnership with Student Government Association, Recycling Services, Campus Life, Sustainability, Environmental Health and Safety, and Auxiliary Services.

These special units are made from recycled milk cartons, each unit comprised of approximately 1,725 milk jugs! These special containers are found at Fisher University Union, Fisher Student Center, and Warwick Center.

There is access to recycling for all residence halls. Students can bring their recycling to one of the centralized multi-bin stations in various locations depending on the building. Typically, they are near the dumpster and trash compactor in parking lots adjacent to residence halls.

For more specific information, visit Housing & Residence Life.

Our electronic waste program accepts electronics of all types. Considered anything with a cord, that charges, or takes batteries; e-waste can be dropped off in the Warehouse lot at 5179 Lionfish Drive during normal business hours. UNCW electronics should go through Surplus. Contact EH&S for light bulbs.

Foams and films are accepted at our Public Recycling Depot located at 5195 Lionfish Dr. during depot hours (6:30AM to 6:30PM).

A specialty items center for materials like electronics, batteries, ink cartridges, writing utensils, food wrappers, oral hygiene products, disposable razors, and plastic film bags is located at the Fisher University Union near Hawk's Nest.

What Can I Recycle?

Foam Plastics

Expanded Polystyrene (EPS, #6) and Expanded Polyethylene (PE, #2/4)

YES NO
Packing Blocks Construction Foam
Coolers Foam Play Mats
Craft Sheets Sports Fingers
To-go Food Containers Molded Film Wrapped Foam
Cups Biodegradable Peanuts
Egg Cartons
Meat Trays
Peanuts
Foam Film Packaging (extruded)
Bendable Packaging (extruded)
Pool Noodles

Food containers are dry and clean. Always bag peanuts separately. Remove all stickers and tape.

 

 

Film Plastics

High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE, #2) and Low-Density Polyethylene (LDPE, #4)

Yes No
Grocery Bags Pet Food Bags
Zip-top Bags Grape Bags
Garbage Bags Blister Packaging
Bubble Wrap Straws
Shipping Air Pillows Chip Bags*
Shipping Bubble Mailers Snack Wrappers*
Shipping Bags Candy Wrappers*
Produce Packaging and Bags Rubber Gloves**
Dry Cleaning Bags Masks**
Product Wrap and Packaging Frozen Food Bags
Six-pack Rings Compostable Bags

Plastic film must be clean, dry, and bagged. If the film stretches, we accept it!

*Only accepted at Specialty Recycle Center in Fisher University Union, next to Hawk's Nest.

**Only accepted at Specialty Recycle Box in DePaolo Hall in the Student Health Center.

 

 

Plastics

Rigid or hard plastics: Polyethylene terephthalate (PETE or PET, #1), High-Density Polyethylene (HDPE, #2), and Polypropylene (PP, #5).

YES NO
Bottles Straws
Beverage Jugs Chip Bags*
Tubs Snack Wrappers*
Egg Cartons Candy Wrappers*
Berry Boxes Compostable Cups
Meat Trays Compostable Food Containers
Liquid Soap Bottles Compostable Bags and Cutlery
To-Go Containers Cutlery
Spray Bottles Frozen Food Bags
5 Gallon Water Jugs Rubber Gloves**
Food containers Face Masks**
Produce containers Personal Hygiene Products

Empty and rinse your containers. Remove pumps from soap bottles. Remove cling film from tubs. Remove sprayer from spray bottles.

*Only accepted at Specialty Recycle Center in Fisher University Union, next to Hawk's Nest.

**Only accepted at Specialty Recycle Box in DePaolo Hall in the Student Health Center.

 

Cardboard

Cardboard (CB) also know as Old Corrugated Cardboard (OCC)

YES NO
Corrugated CB Contaminated CB
CB Boxes Wet CB
Pizza Boxes Food Covered CB
Shoeboxes Grease Soaked CB
Paperboard Tubes Waxed CB
Bulk Food Boxes

Please break down and flatten all cardboard. Pizza boxes are free of food and heavy grease.

 

 

Paper

Mixed Paper (MP) and Sorted Office Paper (SOP)

YES NO
Office Paper Paper Towels
File Folders Tissues
Envelopes Napkins
Paperboard Paper Plates
Egg Cartons Paper Cups
Paper Tubes Compostable Food Boxes
Shredded Paper (bagged) Compostable Cups
Softbound Books Snack Wrappers
Notebook Paper Candy Wrappers
Notebooks Sticker Paper
Magazines Paper Bubble Mailers
Newspaper Hardback Books
Greeting Cards
Sticky Notes
Paper Bags
Catalogs

Bag your shred separately! Remove paper clips and binder clips. Separate sticky notes from office paper.

No food or drink residue allowed.

 

 

Metal

Any metals such as aluminum, tin, steel, iron, copper, and brass.

YES NO
Scrap Metal Chip Bags*
Drink Cans Snack Wrappers*
Food Cans Candy Wrappers*
Foil trays Large Appliances
Aluminum/Tin Foil Fridges
Aerosol Cans

Empty and rinse your containers. Remove pumps from soap bottles.

*Only accepted at Specialty Recycle Center in Fisher University Union, next to Hawk's Nest.

 

 

Glass

Glass bottles and jars, clear and all colors accepted.

YES NO
Bottles Heat Treated Glass (Pyrex)
Jars Scientific Glassware
Candle Jars (clean) Mason Jars
Halogen Tube Lights
Glass Lamp Shades and Pendant Lights
Lamps and Light Bulbs
Window Panes
Decorative Glass and Glassware

Empty and rinse your containers. Remove lids, to be recycled as metal.

See EH&S to dispose of UNCW owned light bulbs and halogen tube lights.

 

 

Electronic Waste

Electronic Waste is anything that charges, plugs in, takes batteries, or has a cord. Additionally, batteries and printer ink cartridges are considered E-Waste.

YES NO
Computers Fridges
Monitors Stoves
Keyboards and Mice Dishwashers
TVs Laundry Machines
Stereos and Radios Central Air Conditioning Units
Cell Phones Water Heaters
Microwaves Light Bulbs
Toasters and Toaster Ovens Cathode Ray Tube TVs
Lamps (without light bulbs)
Fans (without blades)
Tools

Household Batteries

(Alkaline, Zinc, Nickel, and Button)

UNCW ONLY

Hazardous Batteries

(Lithium and Lead-Acid)

UNCW ONLY

String Lights
Extension Cords
Cords, Cables, and Wires

Remove all batteries from electronics. Do not stow other wastes in small appliances and electronics.

Batteries only accepted from UNCW sources. Contact EH&S for light bulbs and halogen tube lights.

Accepted from AM to PM in the Warehouse lot. Do NOT leave E-Waste in the Public Recycling Depot.

 

 

Construction and Demolition

Only permitted for UNCW and UNCW Contractors.

YES NO
Pallets Film Wrapped Molded Foam
Clean Wood (No Paint/Stain) Windows and Glass
Nylon Strapping
Paper Packaging
Cardboard
Styrofoam Packaging
Pallet Wrap (Clean and Dry)
Wiring and Electrical Units
Drywall
Bricks (Clean)
Pipes and Tubing

Contact Surplus and Recycling to schedule a pick-up with 72 hours notice. Drop off materials between AM and PM in the Warehouse lot. All materials must be sorted, clean, and dry.

 

 

Contact Us

UNCW Recycling Services

Phone: (910) 962-2549
Fax: (910) 962-7405

5195 Lionfish Drive
Wilmington, NC 28403-5648

Business Hours
Monday - Friday 7:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m.

Summer Business Hours
May 16 - Aug 12
Monday - Thursday 7:30 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
Friday 7:30 a.m.-11:30 a.m.

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