Tag Archives | Office of Sustainability

My plastic grocery bag has a number 4 recyclable symbol on it. Why can it not go into my single stream recycling? Do not place plastic bags or any type of plastic film into mixed recycling because it causes problems for the sorting equipment. It gets wrapped around the rollers in the equipment much like […]

It’s that time of year when students are away and TU’s faculty & staff… shred. Shredding day is more than just an opportunity to take advantage of these free shredding services, it is also an easy way to contribute to TU’s RecycleMania numbers. Join us in Lot 24A from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on […]

Can you recycle a pizza box?  Pizza boxes are acceptable if no food has soaked into the paper. If the bottom of the box has grease or sauce soaked into the paper but the top is clean, throw the bottom in the compost bin and the top in the recycling. Email all questions to the […]

Is your office becoming overwhelmed with cluttered paper? Do you have sensitive documents you want to safely get rid of? Towson University faculty and staff will have the opportunity to participate in a FREE shredding event this term while students are away on Spring Break. It will be the ideal time to toss out your […]

Can plastic clam-shells be recycled? Unfortunately not. Baltimore County does not accept clam-shell containers no matter the number on the container. The buyers of plastic bottles consider the clam-shells to be contaminate. Note that Towson University Dining Services offers compostable clam-shells, made from plant-based materials, so you can still go zero waste while on the go. […]

Do I need to wash my plastic container if it has some food left in it? A quick rinse will do. Do not waste resources (mostly water) to clean material that will be cleaned in the recycling process. Email all questions to the Office of Sustainability at gogreen@towson.edu.

Can you recycle plastic utensils and/or straws? No, you cannot recycle them. Throw them in the trash. Note that Towson University dining facilities offer compostable utensils and straws. Email all questions to the Office of Sustainability at gogreen@towson.edu.

Should you dump out your soda before recycling your bottle? It is best to empty all liquids before recycling. Email all questions to the Office of Sustainability at gogreen@towson.edu.

What is the recycling rule for disposable cups? All disposable plastic cups can be placed into the recycling bins on campus. All paper coffee cups, unless they are clearly marked as compostable, must be landfilled.  Styrofoam cups are always landfilled. Email all questions to the Office of Sustainability at gogreen@towson.edu.

Are all plastics 1 – 7 accepted?  If not, what are the exceptions? All narrow neck plastic bottles and jugs, and wide mouth containers numbered 1-7 are accepted. This is different from all 1-7 plastics. For example, while a #1 plastic yogurt cup is acceptable, a #1 plastic clamshell to-go salad container is not. Rigid […]

It’s time to get hype for RecycleMania! With the return of students, faculty and staff, it is important to remember how and where to properly recycle in order to keep our campus beautiful, clean and competitive. So be sure to compost your food scraps at all dining locations and place your mixed recyclables into any […]

It’s time to get hype for RecycleMania! With the return of students, faculty and staff, it is important to remember how and where to properly recycle in order to keep our campus beautiful, clean and competitive. So be sure to compost your food scraps at all dining locations and place your mixed recyclables into any […]