Recycling

Plastic, aluminum, and glass containers can be recycled at blue-labeled Community Waste Stations on campus. Residence halls also have recycling chutes.

A yellow lid marks the cardboard recycling containers in the rear or loading dock areas of campus buildings and research facilities. Waste Management will collect cardboard from building loading docks for buildings without a cardboard recycling container.

Cardboard recycling is collected daily and transported to the FSU facility for baling. FSU produces an average of two 1,000-pound cardboard bales daily, which are sent to regional recycling vendors.

Computers and other electronic devices contain chemicals and other materials hazardous to the environment. Recycling our campus e-waste with a certified recycler ensures responsible disposal and the recovery of valuable materials.

FSU works with e-waste recycling vendors with the following certifications:

• Responsible Recycling (R2) Certified: The R2 Standard was generated by a group of stakeholders including the U.S. EPA, OEMs, electronics recyclers, and non-government organizations to address the need for a certification to implement programs and standards for the operational and environmental challenges electronics recyclers face. PHR’s complete process from transportation, to recycling, to final disposition point of all materials is audited throughout the year to follow all EPA laws and high environmental, health, and safety standards.
• e-Stewards Certified: The e-Stewards® Standard for Responsible Recycling and Reuse of Electronic Equipment© is a comprehensive set of performance requirements created specifically for the electronics recycling and asset recovery industries, set into the framework of the global environmental management system standard known as ISO 14001. The standard is the basis for the accredited e-Stewards certification program and was developed in a multi-stakeholder process with experts and leaders in related fields. The e-Stewards core focus is on international waste trade laws, social accountability standards, data privacy requirements of customers, and EH&S management systems.
• ISO 14001:2004 Certified: The International Organization for Standardization, ISO 14001:2004 certification allows organizations to establish, implement, maintain and improve an environmental management system to conform to an internal environmental policy. PHR constantly sets goals and objectives to conform with to our environmental policy with the goal of furthering its development year over year.
• OHSAS 18001:2007 Certified: OHSAS 18001:2007 is a health and safety certification which is intended to help organizations control occupational health and safety risks. As an electronic recycler, this certification goes hand in hand with the environmental certifications as many electronics hold hazardous materials that not only pose an environmental threat, but a health and safety threat. PHR is committed to recycling electronics to protect the environment, their community, and their employees.

Records Retention
All university departments must have an approved Records Disposition Request   on file before destroying any public records. Visit Records Management   or contact recordsmgmt@fsu.edu to ensure proper disposal of public records and understanding on retention rules.

Shredding and Recycling
Certain documents contain sensitive information and require shredding before recycling. Waste Management offers the university efficient confidential document pickup and shredding services at $.012 a pound. Submit a Service Request form, or call the Service Center at  850-644-2424. For pickup, place documents in securely taped boxes labeled "Confidential Shredding" or request zippered bags while submitting the service request. Waste Management will weigh the materials and provide a receipt at pickup.

Waste Management collects office paper at Community Waste Stations throughout the campus. Office paper from Florida State is processed and baled in our facility before sending to a local recycler. Have a large volume of paper recycling? Visit the Office Cleanout Guide for more information.