Frequently Asked Questions:
- Is the University recycling paper?
The university is not recycling paper as of April, 2007. Previously, paper collected on campus was taken to the paper pelletizer, located at Eielson Air force base, where the paper was incinerated for energy production. The paper pelletizer burnt down in the spring of 2007 and there is no longer any infrastructure in Fairbanks for recycling paper. The borough announced late last spring that they were looking into the feasibility of building a paper pelletizer, however there has been no recent action taken. If you want to encourage the borough assembly to go forward with their plan to build a new paper pelletizer, you can email, phone, or write to them at:
Mayor’s Office
Mayor Jim Whitaker
Bob Shefchik, Chief of Staff
Borough Administrative Center, 3rd floor
(907) 459-1300
mayor@co.fairbanks.ak.us
bshefchik@co.fairbanks.ak.us
- Why are plastic and glass containers not recycled?
There is presently no local recycling facility or collection site for plastic or glass in Fairbanks. Any collections of glass or plastic recyclables at the University would have to be sent to Anchorage for processing. In 2004, glass was collected at UAF campus and then back hauled to Anchorage. This program was shut down in 2005 because the glass recycler in Anchorage was no longer able to process the glass coming from Fairbanks. We are presently looking for an economically feasible method of shipping plastics to Anchorage.
- What is done with the cans that are collected on campus?
We sell all the aluminum we collect to a local business, C & R Pipe, for ~50cents/lb. They then ship it to recyclers in the lower 48. There currently aren’t any large scale aluminum recyclers in Alaska. The money generated from recycling cans is given back to the student body.
- What is done with the printer cartridges that are collected on campus?
All of the inkjet and toner printer cartridges are sorted into several types, and each type is sent to a different recycler in the lower 48 states. Postage is pre-paid by the recyclers, and some of the cartridges are worth $1 to $10 each. Whenever possible the cartridges are remanufactured (refilled and refurbished), otherwise they are broken down and recycled. The money generated from recycling printer cartridges is given back to the student body.
- Where can I drop off Styrofoam for reuse? Do you accept any kind of Styrofoam?
Styrofoam can be dropped off at the ASUAF Recycling desk, located at the back of Wood Center. We accept packing peanuts, flexible foam sheets, bubble wrap, or most any kind of packing except molded block Styrofoam packing. At the moment there is no demand for molded block packing (the solid Styrofoam kind that fits specifically to the factory item shipped).
- Does the University compost food scraps?
No, food scraps from dinning halls are not collected at UAF for compost. However, last year a graduating NRM student did her senior thesis on the feasibility of composting on campus. Her research shows that there are composting options that would work for UAF, taking into consideration our cold climate. If you are interested in learning more about her research or if you would like to see composting at UAF in the future, please email us and we can provide you with more information and let you know what current composting projects are taking place on campus.
- Where do the batteries that are collected end up?
Batteries collected on campus are collected by UAF Environmental Health and Safety (what we collect we send to them). They then send them to two different recyclers in the lower 48 states depending on the size/type of battery.
- Is there electronics recycling in Fairbanks?
Yes, we have been helping Interior Alaska Green Star to host an annual (now perhaps biannual) collection event for electronics to be sent to a responsible Seattle based recycler, Total Reclaim. Most electronics that are submitted for “recycling” in the US end up over seas in Asia and Africa, where they are a major source of toxic waste pollution, contaminating local drinking water and causing hazardous working and living conditions. This is a serious issue, and so it is important that we chose a recycler that does all the processing it can in the US where environmental protection legislation is more substantial.
- Why is there an electronic recycling collection only once or twice a year?
In order to bring down the price of shipping electronics to Total Reclaim in Seattle, we have to maximize our shipment size. Unfortunately, we do not have the storage facilities to have a full time collection for electronics. In the past, collection events have been held in April (the weekend of April 21, Earth Day), and in the fall around October. We are presently preparing for a electronics collection in April, so please save your electronics and keep your eye out for collection event notices. The exact date, time, and location will be posted on this website under Recycling Events.
- Where is the recycling office located?
The Recycling Department is located in the ASUAF Office on the 1st floor of the Wood Center, next to the bowling alley. Our desk is in the back right hand corner of the office.
- Are cans collected in residence halls?
In order to have aluminum bins in the residence halls we need a bin sponsor who lives on the floor the bin would be on that would let us know if it is full. We also have to get permission from the Residence Life administrators. Presently, we have aluminum bins on every floor of Moore Hall.
- Who can I talk to if I have questions, comments, or suggestions for the recycling department?
See the “Contact Us” page
