UW Recycling's procedures manual can help you properly dispose of your unwanted items.

Check before you toss!

Check the UW Records Retention schedules before disposing of any record (e.g. documents, photographs, slides, audiotapes, videotapes, CDs/DVDs, etc.).

If your unwanted item was purchased with University funds, regardless of condition, it must be transferred to UW Surplus.

What do I do with...?

Some procedures below include keywords to help you find what you need. These are not necessarily an exhaustive list of everything that procedure covers.

A

B

Batteries
Includes: Laptop batteries
Books
Includes: Books (hardbound and softbound) / Phonebooks

C

Chemical containers (empty)
Includes: Buffer bottles / Medicine bottles (empty)
Compost
Includes: Compost / Food waste / Paper towels - Kitchen and restroom
Compostable serviceware
Includes: Compost
Confidential eMedia
Includes: Confidential electronic media
Construction and demolition (C&D) waste
Includes: Concrete / Plywood / Wood waste - Painted, treated, etc.

e

eMedia (electronic media)
Includes: Audiotapes / CDs / Cell/mobile phones / Computer disks / DVDs / Magnetic media / Videotapes

F

G

Garbage and landfill
Includes: Facial tissue/Kleenex / Foam/foam board / Label sheets/label backing sheets / Paper towels - Labs / Photographs / Trash / Tyvek / Clothing / Textiles
Gas cylinders
Includes: Helium tanks / Propane tanks

L

Lamps: fluorescent, other mercury-containing and incandescent
Includes: Ballasts, fluorescent lighting / Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) / Fluorescent lamps / Halogen bulbs / Incandescent bulbs / Projector lamps / Ultraviolet (UV) lamps
Lithographic silver
Includes: Film and photographic chemicals / Microfiche / X-Ray plates / X-Rays

M

Metal
Includes: Ferrous metal / Scrap metal / Lead

O

Oil
Includes: Grease

P

Paper
Includes: Envelopes / File folders / Journals and magazines / Newspapers and newsprint / Sticky notes / Shredded paper
Plastic film
Includes: Air pillows / Bubble wrap / Plastic bags / Shrink wrap
Printer/copier cartridges and components
Includes: Fuser drums / Imaging units / Printer/copier components / Toner cartridges / Transfer rollers

S

Surplus
Includes: Appliances / Binders, 3-ring / Computers and peripherals / Electronics / Equipment / Furniture / Machinery / Monitors / Office supplies / Refrigerators / Televisions

T

V

Vehicle waste
Includes: Antifreeze / Tires

W

Wood waste
Includes: Pallets - Wood / Wood waste - Clean