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What Can Be Recycled On Campus

Find a recycling bin near youSee where recyclables go after pick upFAQ

What materials can be recycled through the single-stream program at Notre Dame?

Infographic detailing proper recycling sorting at the University of Notre Dame. Rigid plastics, paper and paperboard, metal, and glass go in the blue recycling toters. Flattened cardboard goes in a separate cardboard-only gray cart. Items not accepted in either bin include batteries or electronics, food waste, hazardous waste or oils, light bulbs, plastic bags/wrappers/film, styrofoam, and liquids.

As of summer 2023, the types of accepted recyclable materials have expanded for greater waste diversion opportunities. Use the A-Z Directory above for the most current and comprehensive information. In general:

  • Paper: clean paper including newsprint, envelopes, copy paper, Post-It notes, paperboard, padded mailers (no plastic), and magazines.
  • Rigid Plastic: rigid plastics 1#-#7, including bottles, cups, jugs and containers, and toiletry bottles.
  • Metal & Glass: clean aluminum foil and food tins; aluminum, tin, and steel cans and containers; empty aerosol container; clear and colored glass bottles (please no broken mirrors or ceramics).
  • Cardboard: flattened and empty (no wax coating or styrofoam, please). This will be collected in a designated cardboard recycling cart in your building. If you have an abundance of cardboard, please submit a work request order to schedule a pick-up. We ask that you refrain from placing cardboard in the blue toter, as it fills the toter up too quickly and does not allow enough room for the collection of other recyclables

For specialty recycling (e.g. electronics), refer to the waste wizard above. Additional off-campus recycling information can be found here.

For one-time pick-up requests of recyclable materials, please have your department administrator submit an AiM work order.

Do you have comments about the current recycling program? Submit feedback about the recycling expansion changes.

Recycling Sign

For a printable version: Download Recycling Signage 

Game Day Recycling

Recycling for football Game Days in the tailgating lots and the stadium have different bins, but accept the same materials as our campus toters. Be sure to familiarize yourself with Game Day processes and receptacles.

Frequently Asked Questions

How does recycling work at Notre Dame? Where do recyclable materials go after they are placed in a toter?

  • Each individual on campus is responsible for tipping their personal dorm or office bin into a centrally located recycling toter. Each week, custodial staff roll full toters out to the curb to be picked up by Recycling Works.
  • If you can't find a recycling toter in your building or need to request one, check out our "Where and How to Recycle" page for more information.

What can I recycle?

  • Check the A-Z Directory listed above. The types of acceptable materials have expanded to increase waste diversion opportunities.
  • Items that are recyclable at Notre Dame may vary from other systems. Every sorting facility is a little different and the demand for certain materials depends on where you live/work.

Why can't I recycle soft plastics like grocery bags through the single-stream service, even though they have an acceptable recycling number?

  • Soft plastics are tricky materials to recycle, as they tangle up the equipment that sorts and processes recyclables. Because of this, such materials can only be recycled through specialty recycling programs, like store drop-off.

How clean should my recyclable materials be before going to the toter?

  • Recyclable materials should be mostly free of food debris, grease, or liquids.

I have a small desk-side recycling bin in my office or dorm. Is that being recycled?

  • Desk-side bins are not serviced by Building Services staff. Only items placed in the large single-stream recycling toters and gray carts are being recycled. If you have a desk-side bin, it is your responsibility to collect recyclables and then place those items directly into the recycling toter.

Why can’t I put cardboard in the recycling toter?

  • Cardboard, even if flattened, tends to take up too much space. If cardboard is included in the toter, then there is reduced ability for other single-stream materials to be recycled, such as plastic, metal, and paper.

How do I recycle batteries?

  • For non-alkaline batteries purchased by the University: please submit a work order request using the recycling tile. Alkaline batteries may be placed in the trash.

Where can I recycle if I live off-campus?

Operational and Administrative Questions

For Any Recycling Toter or Cardboard Cart Issue:

  • Submit a work order request using the recycling tile.
  • Examples of cart issues resolved via work order include:
    • Carts missing longer than 2 days
    • Full cart prior to weekly pick-up

What if I have a lot of cardboard to recycle and I don’t have a gray cart?

When are the recycling toters emptied?

  • Recycling toters are taken to the curb once a week on Tuesday night or early Wednesday morning. They are picked up curbside early Wednesday, and are returned during the day on Wednesday.

How do I get a desk-side bin?