Waste

NYU is committed to waste minimization through collection services, and upstream solutions through purchasing and IT sustainability, and programs like the Green Events Standard and Green Workplace Certification.

Chemical and biological waste is handled by NYU's Environmental Health and Safety.

Review this page for information related to waste management at the NYU New York campuses.

Collection

Mixed Recycling

CLEAN items only. No food or liquids.

List of acceptable items

Magazines, newspapers, catalogs, white and colored paper (lined, copier, computer)
Mail and envelopes
Paper bags
Wrapping paper
Cardboard (egg cartons, trays, shoe boxes, tubs, file folders, packaging)
Clean pizza boxes
Paper cups
Corrugated boxes
Metal cans (soda, soup)
Aluminum foil
Metal or plastic caps and lids
Glass bottles and jars
Plastic bottles and jugs
Food containers
Food and drink cartons
Aseptic packaging (juice boxes, soup cartons)

NO: wet paper, batteries or electronics, other glass (such as broken glass or lightbulbs), plastic bags and plastic films, styrofoam

Landfill

List of acceptable items

All food and liquids*
Styrofoam and Packing peanuts
Plastic bags and plastic film
Non-compostable food-soiled items and liquids

*If there is a compost bin available, please place all food, liquids, and food-soiled paper in the Compost bin.

Organics

Organics collection is available in most NYU dining halls, the Kimmel Center, and for residents of Washington Square Village and Silver Towers. If you would like to collect food scraps in your apartment or office, you can drop them off at one of the city-wide drop-off sites -- acceptable materials differ from what is listed below.

List of acceptable items

Coffee grounds, filters, and tea bags
Compostable cups and cutlery
All food
Food-soiled paper

NO: plastics, styrofoam

If there is no organics bin available, please place all food, liquids, and food-soiled items in the Landfill bin.

E-Waste

Please note NYU IT's guidance around proper reuse and disposal of electronic equipment. E-Waste collection is only available in select locations.

List of acceptable items

Cables
Toner Cartridges
Printers and Scanners
Monitors
Media Formats: USB Drives, Hard Drives, and Memory (RAM)
Cell phones and Tablets
Laptops

NO: batteries, light bulbs, damaged or defective devices, DVDs, CDs, or VHS tapes, medical waste

Additional Resources

NYC Sanitation Services and 311 Recycling Rules- city resources and protocols
donateNYC - food, furniture, books, textiles, and more
GrowNYC - food scraps drop-off, clothing collection, Stop 'N' Swap events, and more

Request Bin Signage

NYU's recycling team can provide new or additional signage for collection bins. To put in a request for new signage, please complete a Work Request Form.

Please note that E-Waste and Compost bins and signage are only available at select locations.

FAQs

Please note, this information only pertains to New York City.

Where do NYU’s recyclables go?

NYU’s mixed recycling goes to a Material Recovery Facility (MRF) in New York City, where materials are sorted and bailed by commodity type (i.e. plastics, metal, paper...etc.). From there, they are sold and shipped to be recycled into new materials. To see the process, check out this video from NYU’s waste carter, Action Carting about their Optical Sorting System.

Why do I need to separate paper from plastics, metals, and glass at home but not at NYU?

NYU’s recycling is mixed because the sorting happens at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF). New York City requires residential buildings to sort recyclable materials at the bin -- that’s why paper materials are separated from plastics, metals, and glass. Most, but not all NYU buildings have mixed recycling. Please refer to the signage to know if the building is on NYU’s or NYC’s recycling system.

Why do recyclables have to be clean?

Significant food residue or moisture on recycled materials can cause mold. This kind of contamination leads items that should be recycled to the landfill. Recyclables don’t have to be dishwasher clean -- a quick rinse should do the trick, and a few drops of liquid left in a bottle are fine.

Can I recycle bottle tops and caps?

Yes. Bottle tops and caps are recyclable and when possible, should be affixed to their bottle when recycled. But don’t sweat the small stuff. Items like caps and scraps are not easy to sort or bail at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF) and may be sent to landfill.

Why can’t I recycle plastic bags?

Plastic bags can get caught in the sorting mechanism at the Material Recovery Facility (MRF). If you have soft plastic bags and plastic films to dispose of, you can drop them off at local retail stores. Better yet, refuse plastic bags and bring your own reusable bag, especially in New York City and cities throughout the world, where plastic bags are banned or incur a fee.

What should I do with my batteries?

Rechargeable batteries used in electronic devices should not go in the recycling, landfill, or e-waste bins. New York State law states that all rechargeable batteries be returned to a retailer that sells rechargeable batteries (or products containing rechargeable batteries) for recycling. For more information, visit Harmful Products and Special Handling.

If something is biodegradable, is it compostable?

By definition, a biodegradable object “can break down without oxygen and turn into carbon dioxide, water and biomass.” However, manufacturers are not required to disclose the amount of time that this process takes, and will often label their products as biodegradable as a form of greenwashing. A compostable product, on the other hand, must break down in 90 days. NYU’s compost collection can only process BPI Certified Compostable items.