UVA Recycling facilitates recycling and waste management at the University, helping to ensure that opportunities for diverting materials from landfills are maximized, materials are properly sorted and tracked to meet UVA’s waste goals.
The following materials are routinely collected:
- Aluminum (and other metals)
- Cardboard
- Electronics
- Glass (all colors)
- Plastics (#1-7)
- White and mixed office paper
Compost collection is available at select locations across UVA and as part of zero waste events. Learn more about composting at UVA
Have questions about where UVA's plastic recycling goes? Visit our Plastic Recycling FAQ page
Recycling Services
ROSE Program
The ROSE Program (Reusable Office Supply Exchange) collects gently or never used office supplies from departments throughout UVA and makes these materials available to the community.
Merci Program
A medical supplies recycling program, the MERCI program serves to divert unused medical supplies to humanitarian organizations instead of landfills.
ReUSE Store
The UVA ReUSE Store supports the collection, sale and reuse of surplus property to the UVA community and with public sale days.
Outdoor Event Recycling
UVA Recycling provides both recycling bins and compost bins for outdoor events. Contact UVA Recycling at (434) 982-5050 with an attendance estimate. Recycling bins will be transported to and picked up after the event ends.
Hoos ReUse
Hoos ReUse is an annual charitable donation drive to allow students living both on and off Grounds to donate gently used items during move-out. Students living on Grounds are encouraged to donate clothing, furniture, electronics, non-perishable foods, and other useful items to benefit non-profits. Last year, the Hoos ReUse program increased its donations by 71% percent to 62,824 pounds!
Contact Us
To request a bin, schedule an office clean up, or general questions, call (434) 982-5050
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If you’ve ever recycled a peanut butter jar, you probably have had the same thought as me: by the time I have scrubbed it clean, rid the jar of all the oil, and diligently sorted it into its paper grocery bag to recycle, is this jar even going to make a difference? Where will it even go?
A Zero Waste Event (ZWE) is an event in which 90% of the produced waste can be diverted from the landfill. This means that the vast majority of waste is either composted or recycled. Out of 243 special events at UVA, an incredible 157 events either achieved zero waste or collected compost, demonstrating departments and student groups alike are making the switch to zero waste events. To make the switch easy, the Office for Sustainability (OFS) recently released an updated version of the Zero Waste Guide to walk event planners through the process.
