We play a big part in UBC’s sustainability story
We are a leading partner in UBC’s commitment to transform the entire UBC campus into a living laboratory—a societal test-bed for sustainability. In this way, the University’s physical plant becomes a testing ground in which staff, students, faculty members, researchers and partners test, study, teach, apply and share lessons learned, technologies created and policies developed. Through our partnerships, learnings and outcomes are applied beyond the campus, ensuring the University acts as agent of change to address some of society’s most pressing sustainability challenges.
UBC Facilities is a key supporter of UBC’s plan to be a “Zero Waste” campus where all unwanted products and materials will be treated as resources that can be used again. To help achieve this goal, UBC is replacing garbage cans with multi-bin recycling stations. Targets to divert 80% of our operational waste from the landfill by 2020 have also been developed as part of the Zero Waste Action Plan.
E-waste
E-waste is otherwise known as electronic waste, including such items as old, broken or obsolete:
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- cell phones
- computer towers and monitors
- keyboards and computer mice
- scanners and printers
- projectors
- television sets
- video cassettes
- electronic scientific equipment
- etc.
Although the e-waste stream is smaller than other waste streams, the problem posed is very real. Landfilling e-waste is harmful to the environment because substances such as arsenic, cadmium, lead, mercury, nickel, plastics and flame retardants can leach out into the soil and water. These substances can be toxic and have been associated with cancer and neurological disorders in children.
How can I do my part?
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- reduce: can you upgrade your computer rather than buying a new one?
- re-use: if the equipment is still serviceable, consider passing it on to a colleage or charity
- recycle: have UBC Waste Management recycle your broken or old computer-related equipment
Where does UBC’s e-waste go?
UBC Facilities follows the Electronic Products Recycling Association British Columbia (EPRA) e-waste process to reclaim raw materials such as glass, metals, and plastics, with all recycling operations taking place in North America.
What items does UBC accept as e-waste?
UBC accepts the following items as e-waste:
Stewardship program approved items
- desktop, laptop, all in one computers
- monitors (LCD and CRT)
- televisions
- computer peripherals (mice, keyboards, cables)
- desktop/counter-top printing products and multi-function products
- fax machines
- floor model copiers and printers
- medical and monitoring devices
- battery powered ride-on toys/e-toys
- IT or telecom devices
- audio video and gaming products
- electronic musical instruments
All personal electronic waste Stewardship Program Approved items are accepted free of charge from staff, faculty and students. A list of e-waste recycling fees (PDF) outlines any potential charges that may apply.
Non-Stewardship Program items
- any other e-waste items than those listed above
UBC Facilities will accept non-Stewardship Program items from UBC departments only, but e-waste recycling fees (PDF) may apply. Please note additional charges may apply in large volume requests.
Drop-off and collection of e-waste
Drop-off – personal e-waste
UBC Facilities accepts e-waste from 7.30 am to 3.30 pm, Monday to Friday. You can find us at the back of the University Services Building at the first loading dock on Agronomy Road at Lower Mall outside the back of Room 0150. Anyone from the UBC community (staff, faculty and students) can drop off their personal electronic waste, in small quantities.
Collection – for UBC departments</strong<>
To have your departmental e-waste collected, please submit a service request. Please contact your Facilities Manager if you require further assistance.
**For your own personal and departmental security, you need to take adequate steps to ensure that no personal and/or confidential data remains on the electronic product prior to pick up or drop off.**
For further info UBC policies and best practices follow these two links:
- The University of British Columbia Board of Governors – Policy 104 : Acceptable Use and Security of UBC Electronic Information and Systems
- Information Security Standards
- Stewardship Program Approved Items will be accepted FREE OF CHARGE (a pick-up fee may apply)
**Before you bring your computer to a Return-It Electronics collection site to be recycled please ensure that you have wiped your personal data from the hard-drive.**
- Non-Stewardship Program Items will be accepted, however e-waste recycling fees (PDF) may apply
External recyclers
Please be careful about who you contact to pick-up your e-waste. Many e-waste ‘recyclers’ may claim to recycle all materials in North America. However the only way to be sure is to use a recycler under EPRA or a certified ‘e-steward’ under the Basel Action Network.
If you wish to contact a recycler outside of UBC, we suggest:
- Freegeek Vancouver, a Basel Action Network ‘e-Steward’
- Encorp Pacific, who operate under EPRA
- FCM Recycling who operate under EPRA
- Computers for Schools BC a charity the refurbishes surplus computers for donation to BC Schools (K-12)
For more information on e-waste, check out the Basel Action Network.
Or read the article on students and faculty members at the UBC Graduate School for Journalism who won an Emmy Award for an investigative news documentary that explores the health and environmental impacts of electronic waste.
Recycling programs
UBC is aspiring to be a zero-waste campus—where all unwanted products and materials will be treated as resources that can be used again. To help achieve this goal, UBC is replacing garbage cans will multi-bin recycling stations. Targets to divert garbage away from landfills are also being developed as part of the Zero Waste Action Plan.
Reuse it before you recycle it
You may want to list your item on reuse-it! UBC. This virtual online warehouse is designed to assist UBC employees at the Point Grey campus to find and exchange low-value items of $1,000 or less between departments (e.g. furniture, audio-visual equipment, office supplies, etc.).
What goes where
Use recycling stations to sort your food scraps and recyclables into the proper bins. For a comprehensive sorting guide please see the Sort it out page on the UBC Sustainability website.
Deskside recycling
The deskside recycling program challenges people to take responsibility for reducing their waste.
The Wastefree program consists of deskside units (a blue paper recycling bin and black garbage attachment) which are designed to reflect the typical office waste stream – 85% paper and 15% landfill waste.
- one Waste Free Unit is placed at each workstation, replacing the regular garbage can
- the occupant of each workstation is responsible for emptying their blue recycling bin and black garbage container into nearest multi-stream recycling station
There are now over 5,000 WasteFree units at workstations across campus!
Why participate?
Sorting food scraps and recyclables out of the garbage means these materials will be used again, and not sent to the landfill.
Garbage rotting in landfills increases the risk of soil, water and air pollution, and creates the greenhouse gas methane which is twenty times worse than carbon dioxide (C02). Garbage is often caused by contamination, created when certain materials are mixed into the wrong bin and cannot be removed. This makes it hard to recycle properly because an otherwise reuseable resource has to be sent to the landfill.
Special item recycling
Office furniture, fluorescent tubes, and other special items
Just because it cannot go into the gray/blue bins or special items station does not mean it can’t be reused or recycled. Below is a list of some other special items that can be recycled:
- office furniture
- fluorescent tubes
- scientific equipment
- paint
- metal
- antifreeze
- styrofoam egg cartons
- large batteries
Fluorescent tubes and batteries are sent to off-campus facilities that recycle the materials to ensure that we do not further contribute to the landfill mass. Other items, such as office furniture, can be collected for re-use.
Please contact your Facilities Manager to find out how your building can recycle special items. You can also contact our office with your questions about recycling special items that are either not listed above or not formally collected by UBC.
Hazardous Waste Management
Safety & Risk Services coordinates the disposal of hazardous waste materials through the Environmental Services Facility (ESF). Here, laboratory wastes and hazardous materials generated by the University through research, academic and operational activities are consolidated, recycled, re-used, neutralized and/or disposed. Please contact SRS for more detail on dealing with hazardous waste.
Recycled products
Recycling at UBC has increased each and every year since the late 1980’s, and we are aiming to meet our 55% per capita waste reduction target by 2010. While lifestyle changes might not always be easy, they are an essential component of our drive for achieving a sustainable campus environment.
Recycling and waste reduction does not end at the blue box. Buying products with recycled content creates a demand for these items while sending a clear message to manufacturers – make recycled products affordable and available. Re-use materials as much as you can before recycling them, make yourself aware of what can be produced from recycled materials, and then buy recycled to close the waste reduction loop!
Recycled material | Possible finished products |
---|---|
anti-freeze | recycled anti-freeze |
batteries (automotive) | lead, plastic |
cardboard | boxboard, linerboard |
fluorescent lamps | mercury, aluminum |
glass | bottles, jars, architectural blocks and tiles, drain rock |
gypsum | gypsum wallboard |
mattresses | remanufactured mattresses |
metal (beverage and food cans) | cans, auto parts, steel beams, industrial products |
newspaper | newsprint, telephone books, insulation |
styrofoam packing chips | reused packing material |
tires | rubber mats, paving bricks, running tracks, mud guards |
used oil | re-refined motor oil |
paper | recycled writing, photocopy and tissue paper, linerboard, egg cartons, roofing paper, low grade writing paper |
plastic | non-food containers, auto parts, carpets, fleece jackets, plastic wood products |
used oil filters | re-refined motor oil, metal, rubber |