Search Google Appliance

What Can Be Recycled?

Paper, plastic and metal items are collected together (comingled) in all recycling bins on campus. Glass is collected separately.

View recycling Frequently Asked Questions

Paper: Yes

  • Cardboard
  • Manila folders
  • Newspaper
  • Paper (all colors)
  • Paper grocery bags
  • Paper towel tubes
  • Paper with staples, paperclips, tape
  • Paperboard (cereal boxes, etc.)
  • Shredded paper (bagged only)
  • Spiral notebooks
Note: Confidential documents cannot be recycled through PSU Recycles! Please read our Confidential Materials Policy

Plastic: Yes

  • Empty plastic bottles*
  • Yogurt tubs, buckets up to 5gals*
  • Bundled clean plastic grocery bags

Metal: Yes

  • Cans (aluminum, tin or steel)*
  • Scrap metal

Glass: Yes (Separate bin)

  • Glass bottles and jars*

*All recyclable food containers must be emptied and free of food residue.

These Materials cannot go in the Recycling:

  • Coffee cups
  • Plastic and paper drink cups
  • Pizza boxes and frozen food boxes
  • Napkins or tissues
  • Candy wrappers, chip bags

Batteries

To receive a free battery bucket or request battery pickup for your area, simply fill out a Work Order for Environmental Health and Safety. Batteries can also be dropped off at the Facilities front desk (University Services bldg 2nd floor) or outside of the Greenspace near Food for Throught Cafe in the basement of Smith.

Special Request Materials

Some of the following materials may require special handling. For chemicals, lithographic silver, solvents, light tubes, batteries, pyrex, or lab glass, please submit a work order request to PSU Hazardous Chem/Bio Waste Pickup (Environmental Health & Safety). For computers & monitors, all electronics, and large office supplies of value, please submit a work order request to PSU Shipping/Delivery/Mail (Warehouse). In order to recycle any of the following materials, please submit a work order request:

  • Batteries: Alkaline, nicate, vehicle, all other types
  • Books: hard and soft bound (Cannot go in regular comingled due to binding glue.)
  • Chemicals
  • Computers
  • Fluorescent light bulbs
  • Laboratory glass
  • Landscape waste
  • Lithographic silver
  • Machinery - surplus
  • Magnetic media
  • Oil
  • Packing materials (bubble wrap and/or peanuts)
  • Plastic "clamshell" to-go containers and other misc. hard plastics
  • Solvents
  • Styrofoam
  • Vehicle batteries
  • Videotapes, Audio cassettes, CDs
  • Wood pallets
  • Wood waste
  • X-rays
  • Yard waste
  • Toner cartridges (Please indicate the exact quanity [minimum of three] in the work order.)

Download & Print signs for your office:

Mixed Recycling (pdf)

Glass Recycling (pdf)

Compost (pdf)

Landfill (pdf)

Tri-Fold Brochure (pdf)

Re-Use Paper (pdf)