• Environmental FAQs
  • What does Biodegradable mean?
    A biodegradable product has the ability to break down into natural elements and return to being part of the environment. When some products are made they are chemically altered and that makes them non-biodegradable. For example, crude oil is biodegradable, but when it is altered into plastic, it is no longer biodegradable.

    How long to decompose or biodegrade? Not buried in a landfill, but just hanging around.
    -Paper 2-4 Weeks
    -Banana Peel: 3-5 Weeks
    -Wool Cap: 1 Year
    -Cigarette Butt: 2-5 Years
    -Disposable Diaper: 10-20 Years
    -Hard Plastic Container: 20-30 Years
    -Rubber Boot Sole: 50-80 Years
    -Tin Can: 80-100 Years
    -Aluminum Can: 200-400 Years
    -Plastic 6-pack Holder: 450 Years
    -Glass Bottles: Forever
    -Styrofoam: Forever
  • What does composting mean?
    Composting is the decomposing of organic waste, such as food leftovers and yard clippings, with microorganisms like fungi and bacteria, to produce compost. Compost is organic material that can be used as a soil fertilizer. It’s great for gardens and flowers.
    Composting 101
  • Why is styrofoam so bad?
    Styrofoam is a disposable item made from petroleum based chemicals and additives which therefore are not biodegradable. Styrofoam does not degrade and continues to exist in the environment for hundreds of years, causing further pollution and toxicity by leeching chemicals into the environment.
  • Recycling FAQs
  • What Is Pollution
    Pollution means any contamination of air, soil, water and environment. It affects our health via chemicals and disease. Examples:
    Air pollution:
    The harmful gases and particles released into the air from the smoke of burning fuel.
    Water pollution:
    The water from our homes and businesses running into rivers and oceans. 
Land pollution:
    Landfills, plastic, Styrofoam. Our trash that will outlive us.
  • What materials are recyclable?
    Plastics - Plastics are numbered 1-7. This number appears inside a recycle sign. The different numbers indicate a different kind of plastic. Depending on the recycling center nearest you, some or all of these plastics are recyclable. Purdue and West Lafayette accept 1-7, Lafayette accepts 1 and 2.

    Metal - Aluminum, Steel, and Tin. These are the one of the most environmental and economical items to recycle because they can be remade with a significantly lower amount of energy and resources.

    Glass - Usually food and beverage containing items are accepts. Some facilities accept drinking glasses, window panes etc.

    Paper - This can be divided into office paper, mixed paper, and newspaper. These are often separated because they can be used for different things after processing.

    Cardboard - Corrugated cardboard and flat cardboard are usually both accepted.

    There are many other kinds of materials that are recyclable in a different way. These products are broken down and made into new products of similar structure. If you would like to recycle a computer or cell phone, there are also places to do that. See the FAQs below for 'non traditional' things to recycle.

    If you would like a product to be reused, but you have no use for it, there are also places to give/sell things. One friendly place is freecycle. This website lets you communicate with your community and pass on your unused items.
  • Why should I recycle?
    The reasons to recycle are almost endless. As a general answer, recycling keeps waste out of landfills and saves energy and many kinds of resources from being wasted.

    New plastic vs. Recycled plastic
    When manufacturers use recycled plastics, not only do they conserve the oil and natural gas that would be used to make virgin plastics, they also save energy - typically 88% less energy is used to make recycled plastic than to make virgin plastic - Mississippi Department of Environmental Quality
    New Glass vs recycled glass
    Recycled glass first becomes “cullet,” or crushed glass. When making new products from cullet, 40% less energy is consumed in place of making glass from new products, because it melts at a lower temperature than virgin ingredients.. - Earth 911
    *more facts coming soon
  • Where do my materials go?
    Materials recycled on Purdue campus are taken to the transfer station in Lafayette. From there they are taken to Muncie, IN which has a great sorting plant. From there the materials are taken to reprocessing plants in Kentucky, Indianapolis, or Chicago.
  • Where are the recycling bins on campus?
    Purdue's Refuse and Recycling is the most up to date source:

    http://www.purdue.edu/physicalfacilities/recycling/wheretorecycle.htm
  • Why aren't there more bins on campus?
    Currently there is a program from physical facilities at Purdue that is transitioning campus from source separated (you separate your materials) to dual or single stream recycling. Dual stream means glass, plastic, metal, small cardboard and newspaper all go in the same bin with paper in its own bin, or single stream - all recyclables mixed together. Manual labor and machinery sort the materials when they arrive at the Material Recovery Facility in Muncie.
    As they transition buildings they are going from desk side trash to desk side recycling. Offices will no longer have trash at every desk, but will have recycling at every desk. With this the buildings will also be purchasing new hallway recycling bins. This transition is aimed for completion Dect 31st 2010.
    We are currently in the pilot stages working out issues to ensure the transition for campus will be as easy as possible.
  • What is Housing and Food Services doing to be green?
    http://www.housing.purdue.edu/HTML/DINReusable.htm
    http://www.housing.purdue.edu/Assets/Video/Recycle/PSA01.htm
  • Where can I recycle off campus?
    Pamphlet
  • Who should I contact if I have questions about these programs?
    Stephen Kelly is the Focus Group leader and can be reached at kellysa@purdue.edu
    Purdue Refuse and Recycling can be reached at recycling@purdue.edu

    West Lafayette Sanitation Department
    705 S River Rd
    West Lafayette, IN 47906-4302
    (765) 775-5242‎

    Lafayette Sanitation Department
    260 S 3rd St
    Lafayette, IN 47901-1687
    (765) 807-1411