Recycling

Services and Guidelines
Paper

Okay
Not Okay

Office Paper
Copy Paper
Loose Papers
Newspaper
Pocket Folders (Without Prongs)*
Manilla Folders
Post-it Notes
Envelopes (Windowed too)
Plastic Bags
Glue Bound Paper
Books (Hard- or Paperback)
Magazines
Slick Paper
Cardboard of any kind
Paper Clips and Metal Fasteners
Plastic Sleeves
Shredded Paper
*Designer folders, ones with graphic art, have a glossy surface, but we consider them as Office Paper.  Just make sure they are free of prongs.

Paper recycling bins are located next to desks, in offices, classrooms, and in computer labs. WKU Recycling is working to earn funds to buy additional paper collection bins for all campus buildings. You can put nearly all paper into these bins (see guidelines above). Buidling Service Attendents collect the paper and take it to the larger collection bins outside each building where WKU Recycling picks it up. If you need a bin for paper, please contact us and we will try to get you one.

  • Cardboard is not the same as Paper.  Please do not mix your Cardboard with your Paper.
  • Plastic Spiral Bound pages are Office Paper minus the Spirals.
    • Loosen one loop on either end and quickly jerk to easily remove binding.
    • For Spiral Notebooks ripping the pages out is the only way to go.  Remove the pages in thin bundles, not as a whole.  It's much easier.
  • Staples here and there are perfectly fine, but make sure you remove larger metal fasteners.
  • Please, please, please, if you recycle your paper in bags do not overfill the bags.
    • Overladen, heavy bags will rip.
    • Remember it takes people to haul it on the truck, be considerate.
  • And finally, DO NOT contaminate your Paper with anything not on the Okay list.  This definitely includes trash and food.  In fact this rule will apply to every single one of our recyclable materials.  DO NOT intermix categories.  DO NOT throw trash in our recycling bins unless you plan on cleaning it up!
Why not...

Shredded Paper?
Shredded paper is not very well received by the local recycling company because when the fibers are shortened through shredding, the material becomes invaluable as a recyclable.   Sensitive documents must be shredded, and we have suggestions below for how to handle these, but if you don't need to shred, don't.

So...What Now?

Get Rid of the Shred
Now we all know how fun a paper shredder can be.  We get shred happy and find any excuse to start shredding everything.  All kinds of paper go, sometimes the occassional CD, and when we get carried away, we find whatever is left—paychecks—and OOPS!

Sensitive Documents
We also know that you sometimes have documents that need to be shredded, and for such documents there is a professional service provided on campus that will take care of that.  If you do not know if you have the service available, contact the Department of Facilities Management to find out what you need to do to get it.

S.H.A—Shred Happy Anonymous
Any Paper that you do not need to shred, can go directly into your deskside recycling bin, your nearest recycling area, or our Big Red Bin out at Services and Supply.  Just remember that Big Red is not allowed to eat Plastic Bags or Cardboard, so be sure to take your Paper out of any bags or boxes before you feed it to him.