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Recycling

  • Laser and Inkjet Recycling Program

    Eastern CT State University has a Laser and Inkjet Recycling Program for all departments, individual staff members, and students as well. This program, put together by the Campus-Wide Safety Committee, includes recycling of cartridges that are generated both at work and at home. In order to recycle an inkjet cartridge, place the cartridge in boxes located in buildings and residential halls around the campus.

    Because of their greater size, laser cartridges are collected in bulk shipping boxes placed in areas where laser printers are in use. Each box holds from 3 to 12 laser cartridges, depending on their size. When the box is filled, either bring the box or call shipping/receiving in Facilities for it to be picked up and brought there.

    On the average, ECSU uses one laser cartridge per office employee per year and as many as a dozen inkjet cartridges for each inkjet printer on campus. An individual student typically uses five or more inkjet cartridges, depending on the printer. CC Cash, recycling contractor, provides transportation of filled boxes from Eastern Facilities/Shipping/Receiving to their place on Belden Street, East Hartford. Money received from recycling these items is re-distributed back to Eastern Connecticut State University students via a scholarship.Most of the cartridges are refurbished, re-filled, and re-used. The small percentage of cartridges that cannot be re-used are ground up and used for plastic lumber.

    For additional information about this program, and to request additional boxes for your department, contact Eric Germain, Environmental Health & Safety Coordinator, Room 26, Eastern Hall. Phone (860) 465-5103 and email germaine@easternct.edu.

    Inkjet Cartridge Recycling Facts

    • Every SECOND, 8 Cartridges are Thrown Away!
    • 2 ½ Ounces of OIL is used to produced each inkjet.
    • 3 ½ Quarts of OIL is used to produce each laser.
    • In a couple of months, cartridge remanufacturing will SAVE more OIL than was spilled by the Exxon Valdez in Prince Edward Sound, Alaska.
    Source: http://www.therecyclingfactory.com/facts/

  • Eastern Connecticut State University has a Paper and Cardboard Program for all departments, individual staff members, and students as well. All paper, cardboard, magazines, newspapers can be deposited in the blue bins located in various areas of the campus. The bins are available from the Housekeeping Department.

    Recycling Facts

    • Everyday Americans buy 62 million newspapers and throw out 44 million. That is the equivalent of dumping 500,000 trees into a landfill every week.
    • If everyone in the U.S. recycled just 1/10 of their newsprint, we would save the estimated equivalent of about 25 million trees a year.

    Source: http://www.recyclingit.com/
    Visit http://www.recyclingit.com/factsbenefits.html for more information.

  • Used Electronics Disposal Policy

    The following is a definition of "used electronics":

    "A device or component thereof that contains one or more circuit boards or a cathode ray tube and is used primarily for communication, data transfer or storage, or entertainment purposes, including but not limited to, desk top and lap top computers, computer peripherals, monitors, copying machines,scanners, printers, radios, televisions, camcorders, video cassette recorders "VCRs", compact disc players, digital video disc players, MP3 players, telephones, including cellular and portable telephones, and stereos."

    Due to the presence of hazardous materials these types of equipment cannot be discarded in the general trash. The following is the procedure that will be adhered to when disposing of used electronics.Once a used electronics is no longer usable it shall be considered a Universal Waste. At this time the used electronics will need to be treated as Universal Waste. Once this determination has been made, the employee who generates the used electronics will contact Shipping and Receiving for proper disposal. Once this is done, Facilities will pick up the equipment and transport it to the Universal Waste Storage area . Under the CTDEEP Hazardous Waste regulation, Eastern Connecticut State University is a Small Quantity Handler for Universal waste. We can store said waste on campus for up to one year. In order to stay in compliance with the storage limits Eastern Connecticut State University has decided that used electronics will be disposed of by a licensed recycler every 3-4 months. At this time, a licensed recycler will arrive on campus and discard all the Used Electronics that have been generated.

    Fluorescent Light Bulbs

    Mercury is an essential ingredient for most energy-efficient lamps. Fluorescent lamps and high intensity discharge (HID) lamps are the two most common types of lamps that utilize mercury. Fluorescent lamps provide lighting for most schools, office buildings and stores. HID lamps, which include mercury-vapor, metal halide and high-pressure sodium lamps, are used for streetlights, floodlights and industrial lighting. A typical fluorescent lamp is composed of a phosphor-coated glass tube with electrodes located at either end. The tube contains mercury, of which only a very small amount is in vapor form. When a voltage is applied, the electrodes energize the mercury vapor, causing it to emit ultraviolet (UV) energy. The phosphor coating absorbs the UV energy, causing the phosphor to fluoresce and emit visible light. Without the mercury vapor to produce UV energy, there would be no light. A four-foot fluorescent lamp has an average rated life of at least 20,000 hours. To achieve this long life, lamps must contain a specific quantity of mercury. The amount of mercury required is very small, typically measured in milligrams, and varies by lamp type, date of manufacture, manufacturing plant and manufacturer. The following is the procedure that will be adhered to when disposing of fluorescent light bulbs at Eastern Connecticut State University. Once a fluorescent light bulb is no longer usable it shall be considered a Universal Waste. At this time the used fluorescent light bulb will be placed in a container that will be structurally sound, closed, and adequate to prevent breakage and compatible with their contents to prevent breakage. This container will be labeled with the following information:

    UNIVERSAL WASTE
    Contents:
    FLUORESCENT LAMPS
    Shipper:
    Eastern Connecticut State University
    83 Windham Street
    Willimantic, CT 06226
    If you have any questions, call Eric Germain (860) 465-5103.

    Under the CTDEEP Hazardous Waste regulation, Eastern Connecticut State University is a Small Quantity Handler for Universal waste and as such, can store said waste on campus for up to one year. In order to stay in compliance with the storage limits, Eastern Connecticut State University has decided that used fluorescent light bulb will be disposed of by a licensed recycler at least two times per year. Prior to this pick up a facilities department employee will gather all of the used fluorescent light bulbs that have been generated around campus and place them in the central storage area that is located in the facilities warehouse. The larger containers will also meet the same storage and labeling requirements as mentioned above. By disposing of the fluorescent bulbs on a regular basis we will meet the storage requirements outlined by the CT DEEP.

    Aerosol Cans

    The following is the protocol that shall be adhered to when disposing of aerosol cans at Eastern Connecticut State University.Once an aerosol can is either empty of no longer used by the department, it shall be placed in a container, which will be designated as "USED AEROSOL CANS."Once per month, a member of the Environmental Health and Safety Department will pick up any aerosol cans that are being stored in these containers. If your department needs a pick up prior to the end of the month, contact Eric Germain at 55103.The used aerosol can will then be placed in an Aerosol Can Recycling System, which is located within the facilities department. Any remaining materials in the can will be collected in a receiving drum while the propellants will be collected in the filtering system.Once the aerosol can has been punctured, residual materials drained, and propellants captured in the filters, the cans will be recycled as scrap metal.The captured material will be contained within a 20-gallon drum and will be disposed of as hazardous waste.