Day: November 30, 2017

At Tufts, we have collection sites for specialty recycling from batteries to textiles to sneakers to E-Waste! It is extremely important for these products to be recycled and diverted from the waste stream to be repurposed, as this prevents toxic landfill leakage from re-entering the environment  and reduces extractive mining and processing needs both of which harm local community health.

Much of these specialty recycling items can be categorized as universal waste, which includes four general categories: batteries, pesticides, mercury-containing equipment, and lamps.  All of these items are regulated by the federal government and must be disposed of in ways that meet federal standards.

To recycle batteries, we need to take some precautions. All alkaline batteries and non-lithium ion batteries must have their terminals taped with clear tape to avoid a potential fire hazard during transportation. Lithium-ion batteries should be collected in a separate bin. There are blue and white bins around campus where you can drop off your old batteries. Batteries are considered regulated waste and must be diverted from the regular waste stream to follow federal regulations.

Tufts also has special yellow toters around campus for composting, a great way to reduce the amount of waste we produce. According to the EPA, almost a quarter of municipal waste in landfills is food waste, which easily could be avoided through composting. We even have tips for making composting in your dorm and off-campus apartment easy and intuitive.

Recently, Tufts implemented a textile-recycling program on campus, with four locations listed on the Tufts Eco-Map. In these bins, you can drop off any and all used textiles, including clothes, towels, bedding, even tennis shoes. These items will either be sold as is or repurposed and sold as new products. Specialty recycling is a great way to get items that would typically be thrown away out of landfills.

Remember to:

• Check the Tufts Eco-Map for all specialty recycling locations.
• Sort your waste properly!
• For more information visit the Tufts Facilities website
• Questions? email: recycle@tufts.edu

E-waste stands for electronic waste: all electronic products that we no longer use either because they no longer work or the technology is outdated. This includes laptops, desktop computers and monitors, cell phones, televisions, printers and fax machines, and all the smaller parts that come with them. Unfortunately, it is estimated that 60 million metric tons of e-waste enter US landfills each year, leaking harmful chemicals and making up 70% of the toxic waste in these landfills.

Fortunately, we can recycle these products instead of throwing them into landfills. They all contain useful resources, including glass, metals, plastics, and various minerals, that can be reused and diverted from the waste stream. Using the Tufts Eco-Map, you can locate collection sites to drop off your e-waste to make sure you are recycling it in a safe, effective way for both people and the environment. For more information about how to properly dispose of your e-waste visit the Tufts Facilities site.

Find more information about E-Waste from these informative articles:

• ifixit.org
• Newsweek.org
• TheAtlantic.org