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Stanford
Sustainable Stanford

Waste Sorting

 

Wise About Waste 

Responsible waste sorting is the separation of waste into appropriate bins with the goal of diverting as much waste from the landfill as possible, not contaminating the recycling or compost bins, and giving new life to items that can be recycled, composted, or reused. Stanford's waste is sorted into three main waste streams: Recycle, Compost, and Landfill. 


Recycle


Plastics, Metals, Glass, Paper & Cardboard 


Compost


Food Scraps, Compostable Foodware & Paper Towels


Landfill


Chip Bags, Snack Packaging, Styrofoam, & Plastic Utensils

Do recyclables actually get recycled?

Stanford is able to recover more material than ever due to innovative partnerships. 

What happens to recyclables after they are sorted into the blue bin? Stanford’s recyclables are sent to GreenWaste, a local, award-winning facility in San Jose, California. Materials are separated by commodity type using robotics, optical separation, and other technological advancements to achieve higher diversion rates and reduce the amount going to landfill. GreenWaste is able to recover up to 85% of material it processes. Materials are sold to manufacturers to utilize the recycled material to make new products. 

Waste Sorting Tool

Questions about sorting a specific item at Stanford? Use this search tool to find out where it goes. 

What Goes Where
Home recycling and composting rules in personal residences vary by city. Find sorting guidance for where you live using this tool.

Top Waste Sorting Tips

Responsible Recycling

How clean is clean? While it is important to keep food and liquids out of the recycling bin, plastic containers do not have to be rinsed out. If you turn it upside down and no food or liquid falls out, it is ready for the recycling bin!

Careful Composting

Most cafes on campus use compostable service ware. Even if it looks and feels like plastic, check the label for the word “compositable” and sort in the green bin!

Bundled Plastic Film

Stanford can now accept bundled plastics bags and film in the recycling bin. Bundling plastic film helps increase the likelihood it will be recycled. Plastic film from campus is turned into plastic pellets used for piping and decking. 

Landfill as the Last Resort

If an item cannot be recycled or composted, landfill is the last resort as this material is not sorted. Items such as chip bags, condiment packets, non-compostable plastic utensils, snack wrappers, and gloves should be landfilled. 

Discover Recycling in Action

Interested in seeing what happens to Stanford's recyclables after they leave campus? Join a tour of GreenWaste's state-of-the-art recycling facility in San Jose to see it in action!

Sign Up for a Tour