What's Recycled at USC Aiken?

USC Aiken is now recycling the following items:

• Mixed paper
• Cardboard
• Aluminum cans
• Plastic bottles
• Styrofoam peanuts

Mixed Paper

Mixed Paper includes all of the following:

White Paper, Colored Paper, Newspaper, Magazines, Catalogs, Junk Mail, Telephone Books, Pasteboard, Greeting Cards, Postcards, Post-it Notes, Brochures, Pamphlets, Hardcover Books (bagged separately), and posters (no glitter, paint, or crayon).

**Staples in the paper are acceptable, but do not leave paper clips or jumbo clips on the paper.

**Spiral notebooks can be discarded as well as long as the metal spiral has been removed.

Mixed paper does NOT include :

Any type of cover or insert that is vinyl coated or wax coated!

Cardboard

When recycling cardboard, the following steps should be taken:

1. All materials in the box (i.e., paper, Styrofoam peanuts, plastic wrap, etc.) should be emptied out of the box first.
2. All cardboard should be broken down by opening the bottom flaps before discarding it.
3. You can dispose cardboard at any time in the green 30yd container between the baseball field and the tennis courts, but if you should need help or have any questions regarding this, you can contact the Environmental Health and Safety Manager at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or extension 3538.

Plastics

For all plastics recycling on campus, the caps to plastic bottles must be removed and placed in the regular trash before the plastic bottle can be disposed of in the gray container with gray lids designated for plastics recycling. Remember, we take type 1 and 2 plastics only!

Learn more about the different types of plastics

Aluminum Cans

All aluminum cans should be thrown into the designated red containers with gray lids. Please try to empty the cans before disposing of them.

Styrofoam Peanuts

All Styrofoam packing peanuts can be recycled by collecting them and taking them to the Bookstore. If you have any questions regarding this, please contact the Bookstore at extension 3457.

Types of Recycling Containers on Campus

Blue Containers

Blue recycling containers are placed in various departmental offices around campus, and these containers are used for recycling mixed paper only.

Bag-it Systems

Bag-it Systems are located in various computer labs on campus, and these containers are used for recycling mixed paper.

Red Containers

Red recycling containers are placed in various locations around campus mainly in hallways of buildings, and these containers are used for recycling aluminum cans only.

Gray Containers

Gray recycling containers are placed in various locations around campus mainly in hallways of buildings, and these containers are used for recycling plastic bottles only. All caps must be removed from the plastic bottles before they can be recycled.

Indoor Recycling System

Indoor recycling centers have been placed in the H&SS Building to evaluate their effectiveness on campus. These centers will have collection areas for trash, mixed paper, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles. If these recycling centers have the desired effect, then additional centers will be placed around campus as funds are available.

Outdoor Recycling System

Outdoor recycling centers have been placed in the Quad area. These centers have collection areas for trash, aluminum cans, and plastic bottles.

30 Yard Mixed Paper Container 

All mixed paper that is collected on campus is placed in this 30 yard container located in the loading dock area of the library.

30 Yard Cardboard Container

All cardboard is collected in this 30 yard container located between the baseball field and the tennis courts. However, cardboard can be recycled by placing it with the trash for housekeeping.

Locations of Recycling Containers