Sustainability

Here is information on various recycling programs that BE is active and supports. More on UCSC Campus-Wide Recycling can be found at https://recycling.ucsc.edu/index.html

Batteries - BELS in JBEB Room 40 accepts disposable alcaline batteries for proper disposal, which may include recycling. Inside BELS, there is a brown bin for battery deposit. Please bring only UCSC batteries. Batteries from home should be recycled with your household waste per your trash hauler instructions.

Cans and Bottles - BE Facilities has numerous blue can/bottle containers typically positioned at lunch rooms, printer areas and high traffic areas. Please only place EMPTY Aluminum Cans, Glass Bottles and Plastic Bottles and nothing else (no paper, no cardboard, no foil, etc). BE Facilities student staff consolidate these cans & bottles into the campus provided large containers so you do not have to. BE Facilities may remove can/bottle recycling containers that are repeatly filled with items other than empty bottles and cans.

Cardboard - Cardboard recycling bins are located at the Baskin Engineering Loading Dock and at the Engineering 2 trash dumpsters located in the Northwest Parking lot behind E2.

E-Waste and Computers - Please email BE Facilities (facilities-request@soe.ucsc.edu) for pickup of University surplus equipment. Home E-Waste from home should be recycled per your trash hauler instructions. In Santa Cruz, home E-Waste can also be taken to GreyBears, see link at bottom. 

Pipette Storage Boxes -  A special bin is in Baskin Engineering Rm 202 for pipette boxes.  Please ONLY put pipette storage boxes in this bin as these boxes are recycled separated.

Lab Plastics  - Clean lab plastics may be deposited in Baskin Engineering Rm 202 reycling bin.   Be sure to put lab plastics only in the plastics bin and not the bin for pipette boxes. 

Styrofoam (Polystyrene #6) Recycling -
Note: Recycling only takes Polystyrene #6
Some styrofoam containers from Sigma-Aldrich and NEB can be returned to those vendors for re-use, postage paid.  Reuse is preferred over recycling. Please see containers for more information on how to send those containers back.

** UCSC EH&S holds a quarterly styrofoam collection at the loading dock of the Physical Sciences Building.
** BE Facilities has two very large boxes located in the basement of Jack Baskin Engineering Building, in corridor across from the restrooms and across from Room 62.    
***  Styrofoam Rules ***
 (a)  ONLY drop off University styrofoam (Polystyrene #6). 
Do not bring foam from home or other places to UCSC for recycling. Contact your local trash hauler for instructions on recycling styrofoam from home. GreyBears (see link below)  will accept Polystyrene #6 (Styrofoam) for recycling.
 (b)   Only Polystyrene #6 (look for PS6) can be accepted.
 (c)   Remove all tape, labels and other contamination.
 (d)  No small pieces of styrofoam (undefined but assume smaller than 4-in square).
 (e)  NO styrofoam peanuts. Do not drop them off at all (even bagged).
Take styrofoam peanuts to the UPS package store at 849 Almar Ave or 343 Soquel Ave for reuse.

Recycling Links
GreyBears Recycling Program - locations at 2710 Chanticleer Ave, Santa Cruz at & 1231 Buena Vista Drive, Watsonville.