Close menu Resources for... William & Mary
W&M menu close William & Mary

Campus Recycling FAQ

Why should I recycle?

Recycling is easy to do and you can help make a difference to save our planet.  Recycling conserves resources as materials are converted into new products and reduces the need of natural resources.  Recycling saves energy and helps to protect environment.  Recycling reduces the energy needed for extracting, refining, and processing raw materials and result to reduce waste sent to landfill.  Your little contribution saves costs to dispose of garbage in landfills.

Interesting Recycle Facts

  • Making, using, disposing, and creating waste in landfill is among the biggest contributors to air pollution, biodiversity impacts, groundwater pollution and effects soil fertility.
  • Although 75% of America's waste is recyclable, we only recycle around 30% of it.
  • A single recycles plastic bottle saves enough energy to run a 100-watt bubl for 4 hours.
  • After recycling, an aluminum can is usually repurposed within 60 days.

Where do I recycle if I am in Campus Housing?

Each residential student housing room is provided with recycling bins during move-in.  Students need to empty their own recycling materials and drop off at dumpsters located closest to your buildings.  All clean cardboard boxes should be flattened in the enclosed recycling dumpsters to avoid larger space occupancy.  If you do not have a recycling container and would like one, please submit a service request.

What can I recycle?

To see the full list of everything that can be recycle at William & Mary , with instructions as to how to do so, please visit the Recycling Guide.

What happens to my recycling at William & Mary?

The recycling materials are picked up from the 8 yard front load dumpsters across the campus by Tidewater Fibre Corporation (TFC) twice a week and transported to the TFC material recovery facility (MRF), Chesapeake, VA.  TFC collects materials and sorts paper, plastic bottles , and cans using a combination of separation technologies specifically designed for mixed material recovery for processing and preparing recovered materials for sale and reuse.

Where do I recycle if I am at Administrative or E&G Academic Buildings?

William & Mary Facilities Management is working to expand compost, recycling, and trash containers at most common area as central sorting stations for all buildings across campus by 2023.

Current Waste Sort Stations

McLeod Tyler Wellness Center - trash, recycling, compost waste station at lobby

Marshall Wythe School of Law - trash, recycling at 1st floor central lobby

School of Education - 2nd floor, right out by Learning Resource Center

Market Place Campus Center

Sadler Center Lobby

My department has confidential documents to dispose of, how can I recycle these?

To securely dispose of confidential documents, William & Mary Facilities Management contracts with Shred-It.  Most of the office buildings across campus have been supplied with with a Confidential Console.  If you need one in your location, please submit a service request.  

I'm interested in volunteering with Campus Waste Reduction or Recycling, how can I help out?

We are working to identify champions and create teams to support campus waste diversion.  Students can coordinate with Sustainability Eco Reps yearlong initiatives or email to Diversion Working Group leader, [[trici, Trici Fredrick]], Senior Associate Director, Student Unions & Engagement.

Do you want to be a leader to reduce waste and save our planet in your building or school?

The most effective way to reduce waste is not to create it in the first place.  Education and engagement play key roles to achieve cultural behavior and become individual social responsibility.

  • Diversion Teams are comprised of individuals dedicated to creating a more sustainable campus
  • Diversion Teams occur at school level and department level

Don't see a Diversion Team for your area?  Start Today!

Contact [[akomati, Anusha Komati]], Waste & Recycling Program Supervisor for assistance.