In addition to commonly recyclable materials, there are numerous items that can be recycled with special handling. Northeastern’s Materials and Recycling team, in collaboration with other Facilities and campus staff, diverts specialty items from the waste stream.
Finance requires all assets to go through the asset disposition process, even if the items are not capital assets. This includes computers, monitors, laptops, tablets, phones, printers, scanners, fax machines, audio/visual equipment, and lab equipment. Once the form is submitted, the Requestor’s supervisor will receive an automated email to approve the request, and then the form will be reviewed by OIS and Accounting.
After the review process, a work request will be automatically generated authorizing Facilities to collect the equipment for recycling/disposal. The Requestor does not need to submit a work request and does not need to contact OIS to coordinate the collection or arrange for data to be wiped. All items picked up by Facilities are temporarily stored in a secure (locked) area until collected by our vendor. Our vendor wipes all data-bearing items and provides evidence to the University documenting the data destruction process.
Tip #1: Do you have multiple items for collection? It is acceptable to prepare a separate listing of the assets and then upload that file as an attachment to the asset disposition form, rather than listing each item individually on the form.
Tip #2: Do you need a hamper to temporarily store your electronic items pending collection? You can submit a work request to Recycling to have one or more hampers delivered for temporary use. Once the asset disposition process is completed, we will return to remove the hampers and the items.
Tip #3: Peripheral items can also be accepted for electronic recycling, including keyboards, mice, speakers, cords, and cables. Please help us recycle these items by keeping them separate from trash.
Don’t throw out your used toner and ink jet and toner cartridges! Recycling them is easy at Northeastern, just follow the steps below:
Remove new cartridge from the box, and place the used cartridge in the box
Remove and recycle any return address labels you find inside the box
Download the recycle ink and toner cartridges label HERE
Attach the label to the box and tape up the box
Leave the box in your usual pick-up area for mail services
Alternatively, you have spent ink jet and toner cartridges picked up by submitting a Work Request
Don’t throw batteries in the trash! Northeastern recycles all types of batteries, including single-use alkaline batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, and 9 volts), button cell batteries, and rechargeable batteries. Collection bins are located in or near the main lobby (first floor) of many academic buildings. A complete list of collection locations is available here.
For rechargeable batteries, please put tape over the battery terminals or place the battery in a small plastic bag for collection safety. This important step will prevent short circuits and potential fire hazards.
For larger batteries that are not suitable for a collection bin, please submit a Work Request online form, and Facilities will schedule a separate pickup. Batteries that should be separately picked up and not placed in a collection bin include nickel-cadmium batteries that are commonly used in cordless power tools, lithium-ion batteries found in laptops and cameras, and lead-sulfuric acid batteries (commonly known as car batteries), which are often used in uninterruptable power supplies and emergency lighting systems. You can also submit a Work Request online form for a separate pickup if you have a large number of batteries.
All used lightbulbs are recycled, including those from dorms or those replaced by Building Services staff. If you need to replace a lightbulb, please submit your request via the Work Request online form.
Northeastern does not currently have textile collection and recycling services on campus. However, most textile collectors will accept clothing, footwear, linens, and accessories for donation in any condition as long as items are clean, dry, and odorless. This includes items with stains, rips, missing buttons, broken zippers, and mismatched socks and shoes. The City of Boston has numerous publicly accessible textile drop-off locations, including at the McKinley Prep High School (97 Peterborough Street, Fenway area) and at the James Hennigan School (200 Heath Street, Mission Hill/Jamaica Plain). We encourage you to make use of these and other textile drop-off locations, if possible.
Paperback books are easy to recycle because they are made of paper with no strong binders. On campus, paperback books can be recycled with other mixed paper if no donation option is available. Hardcover books cannot be recycled unless the binding is first removed. More Than Words is a local, nonprofit social enterprise operation that will accept book donations for drop-off (242 East Berkeley Street, Boston) or will schedule a pickup for donors with eight or more boxes of books. We encourage you to make use of this or other donation options for both softcover and hardcover books, if possible. If you are unable to arrange for a donation, please submit a Work Request to Facilities and we will work with you to help manage your books.
Facilities does not provide shredding services or handle confidential documents for recycling. A1 Datashred is the University’s preferred vendor for document shredding. A1 Datashred offers various service options under a university-wide master service agreement, including delivery of a secured (locked) bin for routine shredding (e.g., weekly or monthly) or collection of boxed paper for onsite or offsite shredding from an office clean out or file purge. To schedule services with A1 Datashred, please contact Patrice McClintic at 978-858-0200 or by email at [email protected]. Costs for shredding services are allocated to the requesting department. We encourage faculty and staff to utilize the services of A1 Datashred for all document shredding. Paper that is shredded in a personal/office shredder on campus is unable to be recycled and must be disposed. Paper collected by A1 Datashred is handled in a manner that allows it to be recycled after shredding.
Office clean outs are a significant source of trash. Whether it is a smaller clean out (e.g., one faculty member retiring) or a larger clean out (e.g., an entire department moving to a new office suite), it is important that materials are properly sorted for recycling and disposal. If you are tasked with an office clean out, please submit a Work Request to Facilities and we will work with you to make sure you have the proper bins for separating trash and recycling, and are following the necessary procedures for disposition of electronics and equipment.
Hazardous waste material for laboratories is handled through the Office of Academic and Research Safety. All hazardous waste pickup requests must be submitted through BioRAFT’s Hazardous Waste module and labels can be picked up at OARS.
