Recycling at NIU

"Commingle", or single stream recycling, allows you to recycle materials without taking the time or effort to sort them. With commingled recycling service, all your approved recyclables can be tossed into one easy-to-use recycle bin. There are recycling bins located throughout campus to ensure that there is always a convenient choice between trash and recycling. Bins are available through Central Stores for departments to purchase, use the Office Depot portal

Unsoiled paper products, all unbroken glass bottles, unsoiled cardboard and paper, all mixed paper, and books (including those with bindings and staples), aluminum cans and all plastics are accepted except for plastic bags, packaging and styrofoam. All items must be empty of liquids or food waste.

Plastics

Plastics come in many varieties and utilize a numbering system from one through seven. Plastics accepted in typical recycling programs are #1, #2 and #5. #1 and #2 are clear beverage containers and #5 are typically yogurt and cottage cheese containers.

At NIU, we recycle all plastics numbered 1-5 and 7. Any plastic with an RID number is also recyclable through Waste Management except for polystyrene (styrofoam). Polystyrene, plastic bags and most plastic packaging are not recyclable. Hard plastic caps are also not recyclable.

Paper

Make sure paper recyclables are dry and contain no plastic or other materials before placing them in a recycle bin. You can recycle newspapers, printer paper, junk mail, magazines, notebooks, cardboard and phone books. There are some papers that will not be accepted, such as food-contaminated paper, wax paper, wax milk cartons, carbon paper, etc. Tissues and used paper towels are not recyclable. At NIU, there are some recycling bins specifically for paper, but paper and cardboard can also be mixed in our single-stream recycling system.

Waste Management does not accept shredded paper because it clogs their equipment.  Paper that is shredded within offices should be thrown in the trash. To have your documents shredded and recycled on campus, sign up for central shredding

Glass

All colored glass is recyclable: brown, green, clear, etc. Pyrex glass, window glass and ceramics are not recyclable in our program. Broken glass should not be placed in the recycling bin for safety reasons.

Aluminum

The vast majority of aluminum recycling consists of aluminum beverage containers. Make sure they are empty and clean. Other types of aluminum are acceptable if they have been imprinted with a recycling symbol and are small enough to fit in the recycling bin.

Did you know it is illegal to dump electronics in Illinois landfills? Recycling these products helps conserve valuable resources and mitigates harmful chemicals from getting into our environment.

NIU collects e-waste generated by university departments and recycles these products with a CMS-certified recycler in accordance with state regulations. All NIU e-waste can be dropped off at Shipping and Receiving near Campus Mail.

NIU does not accept any electronic waste from the outside the community. DeKalb County has established a schedule for community members to recycle their unwanted electronics properly. All non-university electronics can be recycled at a local collection event.  Residents within the city limits of DeKalb are encouraged to utilize the E-Waste Collection services by Lake Shore Recycling Systems located at 2200 Pleasant St. DeKalb, IL 60115.

Building Services works with Environmental Health and Safety to properly recycle batteries used on campus. When recycling batteries on campus, request an envelope from campus mail by calling campus mail (815-753-1183). Once you have your campus envelope, cover the ends of each battery with clear tape to prevent accidental discharge, place them inside, and address them to "Campus Mail/Recycle." 

Alternatively, you can drop off batteries at several locations around campus.  There are small brown recycling containers and gallon tubs that are labeled "batteries only" at the following locations:

• Barsema Hall
• BSW area at the dock door
• Campus Life room 220
• Dorland Building mail room
• Faraday Hall chemical stock room
• Faraday Hall room 202
• Faraday Hall Second Floor Bridge
• Health Services room 210
• Human Resources reception desk
• Monat Building
• Montgomery Hall room 325
• Physical Plant
• Recreation Center
• Swen Parson room B12
• Zulauf Room 114

Lithium-ion, Ni-MH, Ni-Cd and alkaline (household) batteries are all accepted through this program. Lead-acid batteries are recycled through a CMS-approved metal recycling vendor.

NIU utilizes CMS-approved vendors to recycle all battery chemistries.  Contact David Mannia at 815-753-2383 or dmannia@niu.edu with questions.

Fluorescent light bulbs contain mercury, which is harmful to both the environment and human health. When mercury-containing bulbs are disposed of improperly, the harmful chemicals can also leach from landfills into the groundwater. Starting in 2007, we switched to using lower mercury bulbs to comply with Illinois Law requirements and established an ongoing recycling program for fluorescent lamps on campus.

Building Services works with Environmental Health and Safety to properly recycle light bulbs used on campus. This program does not allow light bulbs brought in from home; however, light bulbs from offices and students in the residence halls are accepted. Local stores such as Lowe's collect used light bulbs for recycling.

Recycling Light Bulbs at NIU

• Spent light bulbs are changed and collected by Building Services employees and electricians. Bulbs are brought to Environmental Health and Safety where the bulbs and prepares them for shipping
• Bulbs are sent to a recycling vendor who crushes the bulbs to remove mercury and other harmful chemicals, recycles the glass and aluminum from the bulbs, and reprocesses the phosphorus
• Glass and aluminum from the bulbs are then recycled

Contact David Mannia at 815-753-2383 or dmannia@niu.edu with questions.

In March 2024, DOIT changed all of the Anywhere Prints printers/copiers to the Ricoh brand. Unfortunately, the company NIU was using previously for cartridge recycling does not accept the Ricoh cartridges. As a result, only Ricoh cartridges can be recycled on campus. The cartridges should be placed in a sealed, clear plastic bag. They can be dropped off or mailed to "Campus Mail/Recycle."

If you still have an HP printer or other brand, it is up to you to recycle it on your own, independent of campus. Most manufacturers have recycling information on their website and will print off a free shipping label that you can print off to adhere to the box and send it back at no cost. If you provide campus mail with these labeled boxes, they will send it back to HP on your behalf. Any boxes without such a label will be thrown out.

Local stores such as Target also offer ink cartridge recycling drop-off.

Contact Stefanie Zimmerman at 815-753-6286 or szimmer2@niu.edu with questions.

The Terracycle Program that was previously used to recycle pens and other office supplies at NIU has been discontinued. As a result, Campus Mail is no longer able to accept these items, as they have no way to properly recycle them. Please refrain from sending pens and other items to Campus Mail.