With single stream recycling, all recyclable materials may be put in one container. All the material will go to Midwest Fiber, located right here in Normal, where it is sorted mechanically as well as by hand at their updated recycling facility.

The following mixed items may be placed in campus blue indoor recycling bins (round, rectangular, half moon, or square sizes), recycling containers on the quad, and Reggie recycling containers:

*All types of paper: newspaper, office paper, magazines, cardboard, paper bags, single layer cardboard (break down large cardboard and set behind bin)
*Aluminum, tin, and other metal cans/lids
*Plastic bottles, plastic trays, and clean/empty containers marked #1-5, and #7 (Pop and water bottles, milk containers, laundry containers)
*Glass bottles and jars

Please keep large pieces of cardboard separate on the residence hall floors due to the bulky nature of the cardboard.

Some commonly mistaken materials that should not go into the recycling bins are:

* Plastic bags (Take to grocery store to recycle)
* Plastic wrappers (Put in trash)
* Styrofoam of any kind (Put in trash)
* Window glass, mirrors, glass cups and mugs, plate glass (Put in trash)
* Plastic silverware (Put in trash)
* Gum wrappers, candy wrappers, or other trash

It is very important that only recyclable material is placed into the blue bins to keep recycling clean and not contaminated with landfill material.

The blue bins will eventually all be relabeled and/or replaced but until then you can begin the single stream recycling with the current containers.

For questions about single stream recycling, call 438-SAVE (7283) or e-mail recycling@ilstu.edu. Thank you for your support of the University Recycling program.

Apartment Recycling Program

Each apartment complex has a collection site next to the garbage dumpster. Staff from Facilities’ Management collects commodities in totes labeled SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING AND CARDBOARD. The specific items collected in these bins are defined below.

Mixed Paper: Includes newspaper (including glossy advertising), paper/press board (including tissue, shoe, and cereal boxes), cartons (including frozen food boxes, 12/24 pack beverage can boxes), envelopes, junk mail, magazines, telephone books, computer paper, school paper, gift wrap, and paper egg cartons. Unacceptable items include carbon paper and styrofoam. PLACE MIXED PAPER IN THE SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING TOTER
Containers (lids and caps are acceptable): Includes plastic containers #I through #7 with a small neck (such as soda bottles, milk, water, laundry detergent, cleaners); plastic #6 and #12 pack ring carriers; glass bottles and jars; steel cans (including metal aerosol cans); AND ALUMINUM CANS. Empty all contents and rinse container, if possible, before recycling in the SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING TOTER ALONG WITH MIXED PAPER. UNACCEPTABLE ITEMS INCLUDE PLASTIC BAGS, FOOD WASTE AND STYROFOAM OF ANY KIND.
Corrugated cardboard should be broken down and placed next to the recycling tote. Smaller items can be placed inside the tote.
Batteries and printer cartridges: cardboard stands are provided in the community center for their disposal. Please place batteries or cartridges in the appropriate stand.
Electronics: it is now illegal to dispose of most electronics in landfills. Cardboard stands are available in each lobby for the disposal of Cell Phones. For information on how to dispose of other electronics on any given day, please call 438-SAVE or email the Recycling Coordinator at recycling@ilstu.edu. Please note that at the end of each semester, Recycling staff will have containers in the lobby for a larger scale collection of electronics.

University Housing Services is committed to being a responsible steward of our earth’s resources and believes that each person can make a difference. With your help, we anticipate continued success.

Residence Hall Recycling Program

Each residence hall has a collection site. Staff from Facilities’ Management collects commodities in receptacles labeled as follows.

West/East Campus: On each residence hall floor there will be 2 SQUARE BINS FOR SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING and a Cardboard collection rack. These containers are located in the utility room. SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING BINS can also be found in the lobby of each building.
Watterson: In each Recycling Annex, there will be 2 LARGE SQUARE BINS FOR SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING and one Cardboard collection rack. These Recycling Annexes are located on the third floor of each house. SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING BINS can also be found in the lobby of each building.

The specific items collected in these bins are defined below.

Cardboard: Includes heavy weight box material with ribbing between brown cardboard. Break down all cardboard boxes. Place all flattened cardboard materials in the black metal racks located in your recycling areas.
Mixed Paper: Includes newspaper (including glossy advertising), paper/press board (including tissue, shoe, and cereal boxes), cartons (including frozen food boxes, 12/24 pack beverage can boxes), envelopes, junk mail, magazines, telephone books, computer paper, school paper, gift wrap, and paper egg cartons. Unacceptable items include carbon paper and styrofoam. PLACE MIXED PAPER IN THE SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING BIN
Containers(lids and caps are acceptable): Includes plastic containers #I through #7 with a small neck (such as soda bottles, milk, water, laundry detergent, cleaners); plastic #6 and #12 pack ring carriers; glass bottles and jars; steel cans (including metal aerosol cans); AND ALUMINUM CANS. Empty all contents and rinse container, if possible, before recycling in the SINGLE STREAM RECYCLING BIN ALONG WITH MIXED PAPER. UNACCEPTABLE ITEMS INCLUDE PLASTIC BAGS, FOOD WASTE AND STYROFOAM OF ANY KIND.
Batteries and printer cartridges: cardboard stands are provided in the lobby of each residence hall for their disposal. Please place batteries or cartridges in the appropriate stand.
Electronics: it is now illegal to dispose of most electronics in landfills. Cardboard stands are available in each lobby for the disposal of Cell Phones. For information on how to dispose of other electronics on any given day, please call 438-SAVE or email the Recycling Coordinator at recycling@ilstu.edu. Please note that at the end of each semester, Recycling staff will have containers in the lobby for a larger scale collection of electronics.

Community Recycling

In addition to using recycling containers across campus for common items, check out these options in our community:

Compact fluorescent light bulb (CFL) recycling

CFLs save energy and money for consumers. They do, however, contain a small amount of the neurotoxin mercury. It is important to recycle these bulbs to prevent mercury from being released into the environment. Source: www.epa.gov

CFL bulbs can be recycled at the following locations. Wrap CFLs in newspaper or put in original packaging before recycling.

Town of Normal, Facilities Management Parking Lot
- Green receptacle at 207 S. Linden St. Normal, 24 hrs a day
Ecology Action Center
- 202 W. College Ave., Normal. Accepted during business hours only - Mon-Fri, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Home Depot
- 795 Veteran’s Pkwy., Bloomington. Bring bulbs into an electrical department associate during regular business hours.
Menards
- 900 Greenbriar Dr., Normal

Electronics recycling

Every year there is an estimated 400 million electronics that are thrown away.
Source: www.greencitizen.com

There are now new laws regarding how electronics are disposed of. No longer can individuals throw away their electronics with the rest of their trash that is heading for a landfill. These electronics include TVs, keyboards, printers, video game consoles, and many others. To see the complete list of electronics, please view the Official Document (pdf).

Electronics and computers can be recycled at these locations:

Normal Public Works Garage
- 1301 Warriner St., Normal. Mon-Fri, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Blue Jay’s Computer-working and non-working computers
- 1531 Ft. Jesse Rd., Normal. Mon-Fri, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Cell phone recycling

By recycling cell phone and cell phone batteries and estimated 65,000 tons of waste could be eliminated. Source: www.pacifictel.com

Cell phones can be recycled at:

Wal-Mart, near recycling drop-off bins
- 300 Greenbriar Dr., Normal. Available 24 hours a day.

Automotive tires

It is estimated that every year Americans throw away 290 million car and truck tires.
Source: www.greenstudentu.com

Automotive tires can be recycled by most tire stores for a fee. Call store for details and fees.

Battery recycling

Americans throw away 180,000 tons of batteries each year, 14,000 tons of those are rechargeable; the rest are single use.
Source: www.earth911.com

Batteries (rechargeable) can be recycled at the following locations:

Office Depot, Inc.
- 1700 E. College Ave., Normal
Batteries Plus
- 2109 N. Veterans Pkwy., Bloomington
Best Buy
- 2103 N. Veterans Pkwy., Ste. 200, Bloomington
Radio Shack
- 1615 E. Empire St., Bloomington
Other locations that accept rechargeable batteries for recycling include Interstate All Battery Center, Hundman Lumber Do It Center, Lowe’s, Sear’s, and Verizon Wireless.

Batteries (alkaline, zinc-carbon, zinc-air, lithium, button cell, automobile, and rechargeable) can be recycled at these locations:

Batteries Plus
Interstate All Battery Center
- 1400 E. Lafayette St., Bloomington

NOTE: Please individually bag or tape off contacts of lithium and lithium-ion batteries before recycling.