LiveGreen: When it comes to paper, think blue

When you think of taking sustainable actions, your first thought may be to recycle. A great step to take considering an average of 75 percent of household waste streams are recyclable. The med center’s stream is a little different, but we still should have no problem meeting our recycling goal of 35 percent.

I get a lot of questions about recycling, so the following information will help. Please note this information does not include biohazardous/red bag waste, which should be handled per policy. Paper is handled the same at all UNMC/Nebraska Medicine locations, and we are working to standardize other recycling procedures to match the 42nd Street and Dewey Avenue campus.

Blue Desk-Side Recycle Bins: By UNMC and Nebraska Medicine policy, all paper must go into the desk-side recycle bin (usually blue) and is shredded prior to recycling. This bin should contain paper only. All types of paper, including newspaper, envelopes, post-its and so on, can be placed in this container, along with confidential/protected information. EVS employees are background-checked and trained to handle this waste — departmental shredding is not necessary, and it wastes time, money and resources.

Cardboard: Break down all cardboard boxes, place between the wall and your other containers. This includes all grades of cardboard — frozen meal boxes to corrugated. No cardboard should be placed in blue (paper) bins.

Metal/Plastic Recycling Bins: The med center recycles metal and plastic together in the same containers. Most of these are tall green rectangular bins with a laminated sign indicating they are for metal and plastic. Please use this container for any metal (except aluminum foil), and for rigid plastic. Rigid plastic must hold shape, but plastic number does not matter, so yes to water bottles, yogurt cups, frozen meal trays, straws, and no to plastic bags, cellophane and bubble wrap. Please do not place any glass, Styrofoam, plastic bags, or paper into these containers.

Non-Recyclable Trash: Any item that is not recyclable should be placed in trash cans. The larger containers are lined with a plastic bag, and are found in many locations. Please use these containers for all trash. Your deskside container most likely does not have a liner, so please only place ‘dry’ trash in that. “Wet” trash — food, apple cores, gum — must go in trash containers with a liner.

Techno-Trash: Work-related discs, tapes and CD/DVDs can also be shredded and then recycled. Pease contact EVS at 9-4073 if you have items.