Waste and recycling
Method Bins
The method bins are designed to promote the diversion of waste to landfill through the use of full sets of bins being placed in common areas (as pictured below).
Recycling Method Bins
What can go in the Recycling Method Bins:
- Rigid plastics numbers 1, 2 and 5 can put in the recycling bins. Small yogurt containers are the smallest sized plastic that is allowed, but please ensure their triangle number is also 1, 2, or 5. Anything smaller gets caught up in the machinery at the recycling plants and gets sent into the wrong product stream.
- All cans.
All plastics and cans need to be clean/rinsed and NOT contain food.
What cannot go in the Recycling Method Bins:
- Soft plastics (including chip packets)
- Plastics numbers 3,4,6 and 7 (including polystyrene)
- Tetra-paks (milk or juice cartons)
- Coffee cups
- Lids
- Tissues/paper towels
Paper Method Bins
What can go in the Paper Method Bins:
- All printer paper, newspaper; and small, flattened cardboard boxes
What cannot go in the Paper Method Bins:
- Coffee cups
- Shiny printer paper packaging
- Tissues/paper towels
- Cardboard food packaging, including pizza boxes (the shiny coating on the inside of this packaging is nonrecyclable or it contains grease)
Glass Method Bins
What can go in the Glass Method Bins:
- Glass bottles and jars
All glass jars and bottles must be clean/rinsed.
What cannot go in the Glass Method Bins:
- Lids
- Broken glass
- Kitchen glassware (such as tumblers etc)
- Mirrors
Landfill Method Bins
What can go in the Landfill Method Bins:
- All general waste
- Plastics numbers 3,4,6 and 7 (including soft plastics)
- Coffee cups and lids
- Tissues/paper towels
Method bins are not to be moved or removed from current locations. If you would like to chat about their locations, please contact the waste team.
Desk Pods
Desk pods replace small bins under desks. These pods are designed to help pre-sort your rubbish and recycling before taking them to the method bins located in common areas.
These pods are to be emptied by the users.
If your department needs desk pods please email ps.recycling@otago.ac.nz, and one of our friendly waste team will be in touch.
Other Recycling Services
Mixed recycling days (yellow bins)
Yellow recycling bins are found across campus. If you are in a location with the yellow bins being kept in doors, these will need to be taken to your designated collection point or kerbside before 7am, or the night before, for collection.
The same rules apply for yellow-lidded recycling bins as the mixed recycling method bin.
Paper Collection Days
Paper bins are located throughout campus, and each department will have a designated fortnightly collection day. If kept inside, these bins will need to be taken kerbside or to your designated pickup spot. If you are unsure of your building's spot or collection day, please contact the waste team at ps.recycling@otago.ac.nz.
Document Destruction Services (DDS)
These bins are for paper that contain sensitive content only. For normal paper that has non-sensitive content please dispose of in the paper bins.
If you have an existing DDS bin and require it to be emptied, please just call the number on the front of the bin and request the emptying.
Glass
Around campus, there are mixed glass wheelie bins, and each bin has a designated day for collection. If you are unsure of your department's collection day, please contact the waste team at ps.recycling@otago.ac.nz.
If your glass wheelie bin is less than half full, it will not be replaced.
Glass crates (small residential blue glass bins/carts) will not be collected. All glass must be in the designated wheelie bin.
Same rules apply for the glass method wheelie bins (cleaning and removing lids, etc.).
Cardboard
There are cardboard skips strategically placed around campus. If you need to know where the nearest cardboard location is to you, please email the Property Service's waste team. Please make sure to flatten all boxes before placing them in the cardboard bin and NO food contaminated cardboard boxes are allowed please.
Email ps.recycling@otago.ac.nz
Dead batteries
When you have flat or dead batteries, these will be collected by raising a Property Services work request.
Raise a Property Services work request
If you are unsure how to deal with the batteries you have, or they are damaged or swollen, please contact:
Team Leader Trade Services Electrical
Email tradeservices.electricalandcontrols@otago.ac.nz
Polystyrene
For small quantities please drop off at the old Wickliffe Press Building, at 59 Clyde Street on the loading dock by the skips. For large quantities, please raise a job request.
E-waste
For small loads of E-waste (that is e-waste that can be carried by one person) staff need to contact AskOtago, then the E-waste and E-cycle Centre staff will arrange a time for the E-waste to be dropped off, or to be collected without needing to go through Property Services.
This is usual for small amounts of E-waste. Only requests for large amounts of E-waste to be collected should go to Property Services.
Equipment Recycling and Disposal
Printer cartridges
Most buildings will have a collection for the printer cartridges, please contact Property Services if you require a recycling point.
Worm farms
There are a few worm farms scattered around campus that have been adopted by various departments around campus and are well taken care of by these staff. If you have any questions about these worm farms please contact the Sustainability Office.
Green your Scene
Waste and recycling are included in part of the Sustainability teams Green Your Scene Campaign. Improve waste and recycling in your office space.
Student waste
Information on student waste, including diversion days.
For more information contact
If you have any questions about your waste and recycling, or want support in tacking the waste streams in your area, please contact:
Nicole Gorman
Custodial Services Manager (Waste and Recycling – Cleaning)
Email nicole.gorman@otago.ac.nz
Used furniture store
Property Services has a furniture store located at 96 Anzac Avenue.
This store is for used furniture from around campus and is a resource should you be after that one-off table, bookcase etc.
Departments can raise a job request for furniture items to be picked and removed from their areas, they are then stored at 96 Anzac Avenue and are made available for reuse to other departments/staff.
If you would like to have a look at any used furniture please contact:
Tim Manning
Storekeeper
Mob +64 21 279 0815
Email tim.manning@otago.ac.nz