Materials Collected For Recycling

The following is a list of the materials that are collected at NREL for recycling. Most of the materials listed below are collected at many locations throughout the laboratory. Almost every recycling collection location at NREL includes containers for paper, commingled containers (aluminum and tin cans, glass and plastic bottles), cardboard, and Tyvek (the tough, plastic-like material out of which large envelopes are frequently made).

To recycle these materials, please bring them to the nearest recycling center location. For instructions on recycling the other materials listed below, please read the appropriate section.

Note: Laboratory glassware, plasticware, and empty containers are not recycled. Please dispose of these items in your lab in accordance with the Waste Management and Minimization Program. For questions, contact John Eickhoff, x3217.

Paper, newspaper, books

See blue bin information.

Cardboard

Include:

• Corrugated cardboard
• Brown, grey (e.g., cereal box) or white ( frozen-food box) cardboard
• Kraft paper (brown paper bags and brown wrapping paper)

Except materials contaminated with oil, chemicals, food, glued-on foam, etc.

Shipping labels or similar labels, staples, and packing tape are not a problem, so it is OK to include them.

Exclude:

• NO Styrofoam and other plastic packing/cushioning materials
• NO Styrofoam packing peanuts
• NO plastic bags
• NO wax-coated cardboard (such as milk cartons)
• NO cardboard with glued-on foam
• NO cardboard soiled with oil, food, chemicals, etc.
• Anything else that is simply not (a) 100% corrugated cardboard or (b) brown or grey cereal-box type cardboard or (c) Kraft paper
• NO bubble wrap.

Note: Break the boxes down flat before placing in the bin. Remove and discard packing materials. If the cardboard has foam glued to it, please either remove the foam or treat it all as trash.

Packing Peanuts

Local UPS and Federal Express stores will take packing peanuts for recycling, but this must be done on the employees time.

Also, chemicals are frequently packed in vermiculite (due to its high absorbency); so if the chemical leaks out, it won't get out of the box. Vermiculite is natural clay-and while we don't reuse it at NREL, it is the same stuff you see in potting soil. As such, if no chemicals have leaked into it, it is a very good addition to garden soil or a compost pile. Because it is so absorbent, it holds many of the good nutrients and keeps them available for plants rather than letting the leach out into the groundwater.

Aluminum, Tin, Glass, and Plastic Containers

Containers made of these various materials are now collected together as "commingled containers." Plastic items will have a number within the recycling logo embossed somewhere on them. Plastic items numbered 1 (PETE) or 2 (HDPE) are collected at NREL.

Include:

• All plastic beverage bottles (#1 and #2)
• Glass jars and bottles
• Aluminum and tin cans
• Other #1 and #2 plastic items can also be included
• Small steel cans, but not large steel scrap. See the scrap metal section for information on recycling this material.

Exclude:

• NO paint, chemical, or any other similar types of containers.
• NO scrap metal
• NO pane (window) glass
• NO light bulbs
• NO Pyrex
• NO plastic bags

Note: It is not necessary to remove/discard metal or plastic lids from the containers. Please empty and rinse containers to prevent making a mess in the collection bin, and to prevent attracting rodents and insects. Well-drained #1 or #2 plastic motor-oil containers also can be recycled.

Computer Materials

Hardware

NREL recycles all hardware — working or nonworking. Hardware of any type (anything with a printed circuit board) should not be put in the trash, as most items contain hazardous materials. When equipment is replaced or retired, NREL follows DOE guidelines for transferring the equipment. The guidelines call for equipment to be:

• reused at another NREL location,
• donated to educational or nonprofit organizations,
• transferred to a federal agency, state agency, or authorized nonfederal recipient,
• sold in a public bid sale,
• recycled in a safe and appropriate manner.

NREL employees can contact the Property Management department (ext. 6249) for more information.

Software

NREL recycles the component parts of unused and outdated software as follows:

• Remove cardboard covering, holders, plastic, etc., and place in the trash. These items cannot be recycled at this time. Exception: corrugated cardboard can be recycled with cardboard.
• Place computer manuals and pamphlets in the recycle boxes marked for office paper or in your blue bin (if they cannot be used by other staff members).
• Remove floppy disks and CD ROMs and send them to the Client Services Help Desk, mail stop 1711. The Help Desk will forward these items to a local recycler for reuse of parts.

Tyvek Envelopes

Tyvek, found in those difficult-to-rip envelopes that feel "slick," is a form of HDPE (#2 plastic, like the milk jugs) and is quite easily recycled. Please look for a box labeled for Tyvek at your nearest recycling collection location in your building. If you do not find one, please send the Tyvek via interoffice mail, addressed to Mailroom, C/O Tyvek Collection. Please be careful not to include any contaminated Tyvek material.

Batteries

NREL collects all common small battery types for recycling—all batteries used at NREL must be recycled. Plastic containers for these batteries are located at most recycling centers. Batteries should not be brought from home. The general guidelines are as follows:

Exclude:

• NO batteries from home
• NO large batteries (e.g., car batteries)
• NO leaking or broken batteries
• NO wet lead-acid batteries

When disposing of household batteries, the following items may be helpful:

• Many Wal-Marts, K-Marts, Radio Shacks, and Home Depots accept small batteries for recycling (there may be a fee, and they may not accept all types).
  
  
• Car battery retailers are required to provide a recycling incentive. Usually, there is an added fee of $5-$8 when you purchase a new battery. This amount will be refunded when you bring in your old battery. Large numbers of car batteries can be taken directly to the larger name-brand battery wholesalers (such as Interstate, Exide, Nationwide, etc.).
  
  
• Many city or county household waste disposal and recycling programs accept batteries, paint, automotive wastes, and mercury. See Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment for information.
  
  

Please contact John Eickhoff for additional questions on batteries.

Transparencies

When you have saved a sufficient number for pickup, contact Work Control and request General Maintenance to collect the items. If you have a small amount, you can send them through interoffice mail to Mike McGrady, MS 3611.

Include:

• Transparency sleeves
• Flip-frame protectors

Exclude:

• Sheet protectors (these are polypropylene)

Toner Cartridges

SMI, the vendor for NREL's stock room has agreed to take all laser toner cartridges that are not provided with a Free UPS shipping label in a cartridge box. That would include: SMI, Source Office Products, and Caddo remanufactured laser cartridges, fax cartridges and any others without free shipping labels. These laser toner cartridges should be placed in your building's Recycle Station area on the floor-not in the large blue bins. Work control will then take these to the Shipping and Receiving Facility.

Recycling HP laser toner cartridges ordered through BOA or Caddo should be returned to the manufacturer. Please place the free UPS shipping label on the return box and place it by the Federal Express daily pick up area in your building. A shipping request form must also be attached. Shipping and Receiving will collect these.

If the cartridge is defective, please go through BOA ordering at 303-275-4046 to return the cartridge and receive a credit or a new cartridge.

The remanufacturing process has improved dramatically, but if you have had a bad experience with a recycled cartridge, please give it another chance. Our vendor ensures us that their product is as good as a new one. Please let your recycling coordinator know if any of these cartridges don't perform well.

The EPA requires all government agencies to buy and use remanufactured toner cartridges. Remanufactured toner cartridges are good for the environment.

All Ink Cartridges should be put in the trash.

Scrap Metal

We recycle several types of scrap metal at NREL. Contact Work Control (ext. 7344) for pickup, or carry metal items to the large metal collection bin by the loading dock at the FTLB. Contact John Eickhoff.

Acceptable items include:

• Steel, painted or unpainted
• Cast iron
• Copper
• Stainless steel
• Galvanized pipe
• Engines/equipment with fluids drained
• Appliances
• Pumps
• Electric motors
• Light fixtures, no ballasts/bulbs
• Drums or barrels - must have prior approval; contact John Eickhoff
• Wire (with or without plastic covering)

Excluded items:

• NO hazardous waste
• NO liquids
• NO oil
• NO CFCs
• NO batteries
• NO bulbs
• NO ballasts
• NO capacitors
• NO transformers
• NO cylinders
• NO propane tanks
• NO plastic
• NO wood
• NO printed circuit boards

Fluorescent Light Bulbs

If you have fluorescent light bulbs, these can be recycled. Please contact John Eickhoff to arrange for pickup.

Phone Books

Phone books are not currently recycled at NREL. Contact Waste Management Recycle America at 303-336-0131 for a phone book recycling center near your home.

Pallets

If you have pallets that need to be recycled, please call Work Control (ext. 7344) to arrange for pickup.