Recycling stations

BY NEALE MCDEVITT | Due to the positive response to our recent sustainability issue, the McGill Reporter will run a regular column designed to help everyone contribute to the greening of McGill. If you have any suggestions or tips, please send them to neale.mcdevitt@mcgill.ca.

In recent months, Building Services has installed hundreds of new indoor recycling stations and a host of outdoor stations. Now it’s up to us to make sure we aren’t contaminating the stations with material that can’t be recycled. Here’s a recycling checklist:

Paper/cardboard

YES:
All office paper
Paper or cardboard folders
Books and course packs
Magazines
Newspapers
Envelopes (with or without windows)
Empty non-oily paper wrappings
Corrugated cardboard

NO:
Tissues, paper towels, disposable diapers
Disposable coffee cups
Wet or oily (food-contaminated) paper
Plastic sheets or wrappings
Wax paper
Carbon paper
Aluminum foil

Metal/plastic/glass

YES:
Empty glass and plastic bottles
Bottle caps
Aluminum cans
Plastic bags
Plastics #1,2,3,4,5,7 *
Milk and juice cartons; rinsed yogurt cups

NO:
Plastic #6 *
Overheads
Ceramics (mugs, plates)
Windows, laboratory glass, broken glass

*Note: Plastic products usually have a number stamped on them. No. 6 plastic (e.g. plastic cutlery, beer cups) are NOT recyclable and should be thrown in the garbage.