Material Management

Recycling is an effective way to divert waste from the landfill, but we all need to make sure we are recycling properly. All recycled items should be clean (free of food residue) and dry. Avoid wish-cycling, the triangle sign with a number is a plastic type identifier NOT an indicator that an item is recyclable. Refer to the signs posted above bins to see what items are accepted.

Single Stream
These blue bins can be found in all campus buildings. This is where you can recycle (clean & dry) metal cans, paper & cardboard, glass jars & bottles, and plastic bottles & jugs.

Electronics
To help our community keep E-waste out of landfills, North Central College has an electronics recycling program. Collection bins can be found in each Residence Hall as well as in Carnegie, Wentz Science Center, and Wentz Concert Hall.

Plastic Bag & Film
It's important to keep plastic bags out of the blue single stream recycling bin as they can get stuck and damage equipment at sorting facilities. This type of plastic can be recycled in specialized programs and there are a number of collection bins across campus, look for the yellow sign and lids. Plastic Bag & Film collection bins can be found in athletic training rooms, the library, Wentz Science Center, Old Main 2nd floor, Carnegie, and the mailroom

Bulb, Ballast, & Battery
Our maintenance team collects and sorts these items at our Operations building, which are taken to an external vendor for recycling

Composting is the process through which organic material, such as food scraps, decomposes into a substance called compost or humus. This can be used to fertilize gardens and soil creating a closed loop cycle. At North Central College, we collect food scraps at two of our dining locations. The organic material is then picked up and taken to an external composting facility. North Central College began composting in 2011 at Kaufman Dining Hall. Since then, composting has become a major method of waste diversion on campus.

You can contribute by composting your food scraps when dining at Kaufman Dining Hall and the Cage. Look for signage at each location that indicates what items can and cannot be composted. 

Additionally, offices that wish to compost can request a 2.5 gallon bin from sustainability@noctrl.edu to collect food scraps. To participate in the program an office needs to have a designated compost ambassador to promote the program and proper use to co-workers, as well as ensure the bin is regularly monitored and emptied.

At the end of every academic year, when students move out of the residence halls, Sustainability Central is there to reduce the amount of waste sent to the landfill. Make sure to properly dispose of items such as clothing; carpet; electronics; un-opened, non-perishable food; and new/gently used school supplies in designated collection areas.

In addition to all waste reduction efforts at North Central College, there are so many ways to recycle and re-use off campus. 

Naperville Recycling

The City of Naperville offers a comprehensive recycling program to all residents. This includes curbside pickup, a recycling drop off center, and a household hazardous waste drop off. 

Thrift Stores

Thrift stores are an important way to keep clothing out of a landfill and reduce consumption of natural resource. Here are some local ones to try:

Habitat for Humanity Restore

Savers 

Goodwill

SCARCE “School and Community Assistance for Recycling and Composting Education” SCARCE offers extensive reuse and recycling programs to the public to help keep “stuff” out of landfills.

Caring for our planet is about more than just recycling. In fact, before we even think about recycling, we need to take steps to Reduce our Waste, and Reuse the items we have before buying new! Here are some great ways to Reduce waste in your home or dorm!