Butler Goes Green

Butler University's Recycling Program

Butler Blue Green Butler University utilizes a "Single Stream" Recycle Program that serves to recycle all office paper, newspapers, catalogs, magazines and discarded mail. Items are collected in the over ninety (90) recycle stations that are located throughout the various building hallways on campus. The recycle stations consist of three bins -- blue lids for paper, green lids for beverage containers, and gray lids for trash items. The Building Services (Housekeeping) staff collects the paper material from the blue bins and recycle stations every Monday and Thursday of each week, or as needed, and places it in the ABITIBI bins located in six (6) parking lot locations on campus. ABITIBI-Bowater (one of the largest recyclers of paper materials in North America) empties the bins each week, and pays us for our used paper materials. All revenues are reinvested in our recycling program.

The entire Butler community is invited to place their personal paper materials in the ABITIBI bins. The ABITIBI bins are located at: Hinkle southwest parking lot, Facilities by the tennis bubble, Clowes Hall loading dock, Irwin Library north side, behind Robertson Hall & south side of Jordan Hall between Jordan and Schwitzer Hall. The monies Butler receives from our recycled materials are used to purchase and update campus recycle stations, promote our ECO committees, student ECO-related events and projects.

More information on acceptable and not acceptable recycling materials listed below.

Campus Interior (small blue wastebaskets, tall gray bins): paper, plastic, aluminum ~ More Information

Blue Desk-side Containers: Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, office & computer paper

Tall Gray Bins:
Blue lids: Newspapers, magazines, junk mail, office & computer paper
Green lids: Aluminum beverage cans, tin & steel cans, all plastics #1 through #7 (No Styrofoam)
Gray lids: Trash items only

Alcoa Green Tubs: Aluminum beverage cans, tin & steel cans, all plastics #1 through #7 (No Styrofoam)

NOT ACCEPTABLE IN ANY RECYCLING STATIONS: Paperboard (ex. cereal boxes), glass, styrofoam, packing peanuts, loose can tops, full aerosol cans, paint cans, chemicals, needles, bio hazard materials, cooking oil containers, motor oil containers

Campus Exterior (Green & Yellow ABITIBI Bins): paper only ~ More Information

The ABITIBI bins are located at Jordan Hall (south side), Irwin Library (north side), Clowes Hall (north side), Robertson Hall (west side), Hinkle Parking Lot (east side) & Tennis Bubble (north side).

Green & Yellow Bins: Newspapers, Magazines, Junk Mail, Office & computer paper

NOT ACCEPTABLE IN ANY RECYCLING STATIONS: Paperboard (ex. cereal boxes), glass, styrofoam, packing peanuts

Cardboard Recycle ~ More Information

Our campus has two (2) cardboard compactors on campus. The compactors are located on north side of Atherton by the loading dock and at the facilities building located at the corner of Boulevard and 52nd streets. All corrugated cardboard is compacted and then picked-up by our contractor, Ray's Trash Service for recycling. Ray's Trash Service empties the compactors on an "as needed" basis from the Building Services department. All revenues generated from the campus cardboard are used to purchase and update campus recycle stations, promote our ECO committees and student ECO-related events and projects. All staff and faculty are welcome to discard their personal cardboard in the compactor as well. If assistance is needed, you may call the Building Services Department at 940-8402.

Scrap Metal Recycle ~ More Information

The Facilities Department maintains a 30 cubic yard container at the Service Center located at 451 West 52nd Street for all scrap metal. Containers are also provided to all construction project sites that result in scrap metal to be recycled. The containers are supplied and maintained by our trash contractor, Ray's Trash Service. The container is picked-up and emptied on an "as needed" basis. Ray's Trash Service takes the scrap metal to Farnsworth Metal Recycling located in Clayton Indiana where it is properly recycled. All revenues generated from the campus scrap metal are used to purchase and update campus recycle stations, promote our ECO committees and student ECO-related events and projects.

Light Fixtures and Ballasts ~ More Information

All spent campus light fixtures and hardware are recycled through a service provided to us by "Lighting Resources". The lighting fixtures and hardware are picked up by Lighting Resources about twice a year. The light fixtures recycled include all campus Non-PCB ballasts, U-tubes, compact lamps and 2/3/4/8 foot lamps.

Batteries ~ More Information

Used Batteries are recycled through our battery vendor, Batteries Plus. Batteries Plus picks up the used batteries from the Service Center on an "as needed" basis. Campus departments may collect used batteries and call the Building Services department (940-8402) for a scheduled pick-up. Building Services will pick-up the used batteries and place them in the Service Center station for pick-up by Batteries Plus.

Dorm Mattresses ~ More Information

All used and out-dated dormitory mattresses are recycled through St. Vincent DePaul Catholic Charitable Organization located at 1201 E. Maryland St. in Indianapolis.

Telephone Books ~ More Information

Campus telephone books are recycled annually in the late fall through a service provided by the university's refuse removal contractor, Ray's Trash Service. In the past, the expired telephone books have been recycled to make fire logs.

Electronics ~ More Information

All usable, older computers, printers and monitors are recycled thru being sold at Christy's Auction House, which generates revenues back to the Butler general fund. This is both an efficient and cost-effective way to handle the older computer equipment. Laptop, tablet batteries and cabling are also recycled thru the Service Center.

University empty toner cartridges are recycled by Office Max through the University's Purchasing Services Department located in the basement of Holcomb Building. The cartridges also may be recycled at the time of your supplies delivery by returning them to the Office Max driver.

RecycleMania ~ More Information

RecycleMania is a friendly competition among colleges and university recycling programs in the United States. The contest provides the campus community with a fun, proactive activity in waste reduction. Over a 10 week period, between late January and March, campuses compete in different contests to see which institution can collect the largest amount of recyclables per capita, the largest amount of total recyclables, the least amount of trash per capita, or have the largest recycling rate. The main goal of this event is to increase student awareness of campus recycling and waste minimization. All participating schools are required to report measurements on a weekly basis in pounds. RecycleMania provides many ways to gain recognition, including RecycleMania trophies, awards, and participant certificates. During the contest last year (2008), Butler University recycled over 104,300 pounds of plastic, paper and cardboard materials.