Waste separation at the university

DO:

• Clean, dry, grease-free paper/cardboard.
• Cardboard may still have stickers or packing tape attached.
• Flatten boxes so they take up less space.
• Paper may contain small amounts of staples, paperclips, and/or plastic windows.
   

DO NOT:

• Cardboard beverage cartons. These belong in the PMD (plastic, metal, and drink carton) waste stream.
• Contaminated paper/cardboard, such as greasy bread bags, pizza boxes, etc. This is general waste.
• Wet/greasy paper/cardboard, such as tissues. This causes mold. This is general waste.
• Thermal paper (receipts), carbon paper, and wax paper. This is general waste.
• Laminated paper/cardboard, such as paper with a plastic or aluminum layer (lever-arch files, ring binders, PE-coated bags, etc.). This is general waste.
• Paper containing personal data or confidential information (except for shredded paper).
   

Ways of collecting:

• The small waste bins in the hallways and kitchenettes are for small amounts of paper.
• The wheeled bins in the waste storage areas are for large quantities of paper and cardboard boxes.

DO:

• Paper containing personal data and other confidential information.

   

DO NOT:

• All other paper/cardboard.
• Non-paper media containing personal data/confidential information, such as DVDs, USB drives, hard drives, etc. You can arrange for their disposal (free of charge) via Servicepoint-FS.

Ways of collecting:

• Secured containers with a slot and the label ‘confidential paper’ for paper containing personal data or other confidential information.
• Blue wheeled bins are typically located near printers and waste storage areas.

PMD stands for plastic, metal, and beverage packaging. If UM’s PMD waste contains too much non-compliant material, it is rejected and not recycled; UM then pays the higher rate charged for residual waste. Collection bags used in the wheeled bins must be transparent.

DO:

• Empty plastic and metal (can) packaging and beverage cartons
• Crisp, candy, and other packaging bags
• Empty aerosol cans (deodorant, whipped cream)

• Used plastic packaging scraped clean, with a capacity < 5 liters, size < 75 cm, and weight < 500 grams

   

• Plastic products that meet PreZero’s acceptance criteria (see below)

DO NOT:

• Packaging containing contents
• Foil (longer than 75 cm)
• Plastic foam such as Styrofoam (EPS)
• Packaging for hazardous substances
• Products containing food residue or hazardous substances
• Products originating from a GMO laboratory (such as MLI or MLII)
• Utility items (such as buckets)

Ways of collecting:

• Small waste bins in corridors and pantries for loose PMD packaging
• Wheeled bins for PMD waste in waste storage areas, exclusively for sealed...
• ...transparent bags (red) containing PMD waste.
• Empty bags can be requested from Servicepoint-FS.

High-quality plastic

Laboratories use products that resemble packaging—for example, clean pipette tip boxes and clean plastic bottles. Because these products are highly recyclable, they are accepted as PMD waste under the following conditions:

DO:

• Hollow glass consumer packaging (bottles, jars)
• Other glass bottles/jars similar to household glass (must be empty and rinsed)
• Drinking glasses are permitted only if they are not made of heat-resistant glass (i.e., no tea glasses)
   

DO NOT:

• Heat-resistant glass, such as tea glasses (dispose of with general waste)
• Laboratory glass, such as empty chemical containers, Erlenmeyer flasks, beakers, volumetric flasks, microscope slides, etc. (collected within the laboratories)
• Ceramics, stone, or porcelain (dispose of with general waste)
• Flat glass (collected within the laboratories)

Ways of collecting:

• Each building has at least one glass recycling bin located alongside the other waste bins, often near an entrance or the canteen/cafeteria.
• A yellow 240-litre glass collection bin is located at the designated container area.

DO:

• Non-hazardous residual waste. Its nature and composition are similar to household waste.

DO NOT:

• Electronic waste
• Hazardous waste
• Batteries
• Construction waste
• Recyclable waste for which UM provides separate collection facilities
• Large items such as pallets, furniture, or mattresses
• (Vegetable) oil

Ways of collecting:

• In every building, there are rows of waste bins in orange, blue, green, and grey at multiple locations. The grey bin is for residual waste.

DO:

• Vegetable, fruit, and food scraps
• Eggshells

• Tea bags

   

DO NOT:

• Packaging, such as compostable bags
• Paper and cardboard
• Garden waste
• Wood
• Animal by-products from laboratories

Ways of collecting:

• In every building, there is at least one green 'swill' (organic waste) bin located alongside the regular waste bins—often near the pantry or canteen.

Large items do not belong in the general waste. In many cases, they can be reused or recycled. For example:

• Furniture
• Metal objects
• Wooden pallets

Ways of collecting:

• Large items are collected by the internal moving service. Requests must be submitted to Servicepoint-FS, specifying the building and location. Leave the items at their original location whenever possible.

DO:

• All devices with a plug or those that run on batteries (remove batteries first).
• Peripherals and components (mice, keyboards, adapters, cables, circuit boards, etc.).

DO NOT:

• Batteries (these must be disposed of via the battery collection box).
• Data-bearing devices, including laptops, computers, and mobile phones.
• Electronic storage media containing confidential data, such as memory cards (these can be registered via Servicepoint-FS).

Ways of collecting:

The number of collection bins will be increased in the near future. Currently, collection bins are available at the following locations:

DO:

• Disposable batteries and rechargeable batteries.
• Additional requirements for lithium batteries: 
  • Exposed terminals must be taped over.
  • For batteries connected in a chain: tape the ends and place in a plastic bag.
  • Removed batteries (batteries originally built into devices or removed from their original plastic casings) must also have their terminals taped over and be packed in plastic.

DO NOT:

• Batteries must not be wet.
• Batteries must not contain liquid electrolyte.
• No lithium-sulfur dioxide or lithium-thionyl chloride batteries.
• Damaged, dented, and/or swollen lithium batteries.
• In the cases above, the batteries must be reported to Servicepoint-FS.

Ways of collecting:

• Battery collection boxes are located at UM reception desks.