Central Bin Waste Collection System

Back to Guelph Campus Waste Management

Centralized Bins for Office Area Waste Collection

The U of G has moved from deskside garbage and recycling pickup in office areas. This new approach to waste management requires individuals to empty their garbage and recycling at a central waste bin station located in a convenient place within their department/unit.
 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
 

U of G is taking another critical step in advancing campus sustainability by cutting back on plastic waste.

To do this, deskside garbage bins have been removed from university office spaces. Deskside recycling bins will remain, but plastic liner bags are no longer being provided. Central Waste Stations have been set up in convenient locations within office areas to handle waste disposal.

You as an office occupant are now responsible for taking your garbage and recycling to your Central Waste Station. Stations are emptied and cleaned by Custodial Services staff. You can request a Bin Buddy from your administrative assistant. A Bin Buddy is a small garbage container that hooks over your recycling bin.

If you request a Bin Buddy, you will be responsible for emptying it and keeping it clean.

You may choose to bring in your own deskside garbage and recycling can. If so, you must empty it in your area's central waste station and keep it clean. You must also keep your recycling bin clean (e.g., wash out any spilled liquids).

When your garbage bin is removed, you'll be responsible for:
1. Emptying your recycling bin and disposing of your garbage at the central waste station in your area.
2. Cleaning your recycling bin (e.g., if liquid from drink cans or recyclable coffee cups spills inside) and your Bin Buddy or any garbage can you bring in.
 
The City of Guelph no longer accepts small plastic recycling bags at its recycling facilities as the bags interfere with equipment at the recycling facility. That means it's up to us as a campus to reduce the number of bags we use in our recycling efforts and help keep this material out of landfills.

The move to central waste collection helps the University reduce the number of plastic garbage and recycling bags it disposes of daily. By moving to central waste and recycling collection, we can help reduce the use of single-use plastic bags to advance campus sustainability at U of G.
A Bin Buddy is a small plastic garbage can that hooks onto your recycling bin. It's large enough to hold a day's garbage. The Bin Buddy can be helpful if you want to avoid going to your area's waste diversion station whenever you need to throw something out.

The best way to keep your Bin Buddy clean is only to use it to collect dry waste like food wrappers. Put your wet waste (e.g., coffee cups) directly in the waste diversion station's waste stream. If your Bin Buddy gets dirty, wipe it with a damp paper towel.
If you cannot empty your recycling bin, please contact Mary Bridgeman, central waste lead, at mbridgem@pr.uoguelph.ca. Mary will help you with a solution.
Yes! You can bring your garbage can to your workspace. You will be responsible for emptying and cleaning any garbage can you bring. Old bins will be recycled or repurposed for other uses on campus.
Creating a greener campus is something we all have a role in. Emptying your recycling and Bin Buddy is similar to tossing out your garbage at your desk - it takes just a few moments but has significant benefits in helping to reduce the use of single-use plastic bags. It's about cutting waste, not cutting costs!

Our custodial staff are always very busy and are in high demand across the campus. This change will not cause job loss for any custodial staff.

The initiative is led by Custodial Services and supported by the Sustainability Office.
New waste sorting signs will be installed at each waste diversion station to help you properly sort your waste.

To learn more about sorting, search items with the UofGuelph Waste Wizard here: https://www.uoguelph.ca/campussustainability/wastewizard.