Through the end of March and for the 12th consecutive year, the University’s Pittsburgh campus is participating in Recyclemania, a competition among colleges across the U.S. and Canada that promotes sustainability and waste reduction.

It’s a chance to focus programming on waste and reuse for students, staff and faculty who may be confused about what they are able to recycle, said Erika Ninos, sustainability program coordinator in the Office of Student Affairs.

“Recyclemania gives us eight weeks in the calendar to provide useful information and plan fun and educational events around reuse and appropriate diversion strategies including recycling, composting and specialty recycling (such as textiles and electronics), as well as to advocate for less single use items and more reuse campus wide,” said Ninos.

Clean and swap event

Faculty and staff who have unwanted electronics, furniture or other office supplies can stop by the O’Hara Student Center on Wednesday, March 11, for Clean and Swap Day, an event supporting Recyclemania. 

Sign up to drop items off between 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. or schedule a pickup from Pitt Surplus if your items weigh more than 30 pounds or include broken electronics or equipment from a lab space.

An open swap takes place later that day, from 3:15 to 4:30 p.m., where all items will be free for Pitt employees to peruse and reuse in their offices. 

For more information about Clean and Swap Day, visit the Office of Sustainability website.

More recycling options

Pitt’s recycling program began 30 years ago and continues to grow. At first limited to high quality office paper, the University now finds ways to reuse items like scrap metals, plastic containers, yard waste, batteries and fluorescent lamps. Last month, bins were placed around the Pittsburgh campus to enable textile recycling.

“Here at the University of Pittsburgh we continually challenge the status quo to create sustainable solutions for students, faculty and staff,” said Samantha Ford, sustainability projects coordinator in the Office of Sustainability, who said Recyclemania provides such an opportunity.

“It highlights the important role each individual plays in building a thriving culture of sustainability.”

Visit the Office of Facilities Management’s Recycling page to learn more about Pitt’s recycling initiative.