By Aleta Nadolny
We’ve all seen the blue recycling containers all around campus. Whether they are in our dorms, classrooms or outside academic buildings, these containers serve as reminders that although our lives may be busy, planet earth is still important!
But there are some things about TCNJ recycling policies that you may not know, so follow this easy guide and you’ll be recycle-ready in no time!
DO Recycle:
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Paper, cans, glass and plastic bottles: Be sure to recycle these in the blue bins! However, TCNJ only recycles bottles that are plastic No. 1 and 2, so be sure to check the bottom or side of the bottle.
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Batteries: Recycle old batteries by bringing them to the Information Desk in the Brower Student Center, or in the Biology building.
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CDS, DVDs, VHS: Bring these to the IT help desk in Green Hall, Room 6.
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Cell phones and ink cartridges: Bring these to the Enviro-smart station, or the Telecommunications Office in Green Hall
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Copier, print, and fax toner: Take them to Office Max for reuse!
DON’T Recycle:
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Plastic bottles No. 3-7: TCNJ is not equipped to recycle these types of bottles. Putting them in the blue bins makes it more difficult to sort them out and may result in the waste of recyclable materials!
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Cardboard or coffee cups contaminated or saturated by food: Yes, this includes old Hassan pizza boxes (It happens to all of us).
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Naked Juice bottles: Some Naked Juice bottles are plastic #7, which cannot be recycled. However, some of them are #2, so make sure to check the bottom of the bottle before blue-binning your Meal Equiv!
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Textbooks: You cannot put your old textbooks in the blue bins — your best bet is to bring them to the bookstore!
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Paper Plates: If you’re eating in your dorm, remember to throw out your plastic or Styrofoam plates in the trash, not the recycling.
Now that you have the lowdown on TCNJ’s recycling do’s and don’ts, it’s up to you to follow them and spread the word! We can all work together to respect the earth, love the environment and think ahead for the future of sustainability at TCNJ.