Campus Recycling Shifts to Bag-Free System

The University of Maryland has adopted a new bag-free recycling system following a change in the processor that handles the campus’s mixed recyclables.

Olive Street Processing was recently acquired by Waste Management, which no longer accepts plastic liners in recycling loads. As a result, all recyclable material collected on campus must now be disposed of loose, without bags or liners. Any recyclables collected in plastic bags will be rejected and sent to the landfill.

Facilities Management is piloting a short-term solution by de-bagging materials from the standard blue front-end cans used in many campus buildings, while longer-term collection methods are being evaluated. Compactors across campus must also now be loaded bag-free. 

Accepted materials for recycling include steel and aluminum cans, plastic containers, mixed paper and cardboard. Food and liquids should never go in recycling, as they can contaminate the load and cause it to be discarded. Cardboard should always be flattened before recycling.

Some items cannot go into mixed recycling but have separate collection opportunities on campus: electronics, batteries, glass, scrap metal, and wood. Recycling material from off campus should not be placed in university receptacles.

“These changes are important to keep UMD’s recycling program compliant and effective,” said Adrienne Small, coordinator, Recycling & Solid Waste. “By keeping plastic bags, food, and liquids out of recycling and following the guidelines, our campus community can help ensure recyclables are actually recycled rather than sent to the landfill.”

Questions about the new procedures or special collection options may be directed to recycle@umd.edu.