Recycling Updates

Reminder: Pallets can - and should - be recycled
The Recycling Advisory Committee - and NREL staff - are are still seeing wooden pallets and crates that are going into the dumpster at several of our campus buildings. These pallets are made of very durable material and can be reused or returned to the vendors.

If you have pallets that need to be recycled, please call Work Control (ext. 7344) to arrange for pickup. (October 2003)

What NOT to do: "Chunks" of Styrofoam, such as those used for packing computers, cannot be recycled. Please do not leave these by the Packing Peanuts bin - they need to be discarded in the regular trash bins.

Styrofoam "chunks" not recyclable - packing peanuts welcome
We continue to receive questions regarding the recyclability of Styrofoam blocks, such as those that are used for packing computer equipment. At this time, the only Styrofoam material that NREL can reuse is packing peanuts. Any other shape or form of Styrofoam or packing materials is currently handled as trash (this includes foam, bubble wrap, and plastic bags). Please do not put these in the packing peanuts bins.

However, packing peanuts are recycled in nearly every building. NREL Shipping and Receiving will reuse them as long as they are clean. There are four basic types, all of which are appropriate for the packing peanuts bin:

• original, standard Styrofoam peanuts
• the cornstarch "Styrofoam" peanuts (essentially same shape as the standard variety)
• the small air-filled plastic peanuts (not bubble wrap)
• the curled woodchips (rare these days)
  (November 2003)

	An NREL employee uses her desk-station bin to recycle paperwork and other materials. To get an individual bin, employees can call Work Control at ext. 7344.

Blue bins - of every size - available for your recycling needs
At NREL, our goal is to make recycling as convenient as possible. With that in mind, we have made available several types and sizes of recycling bins throughout the Lab - desk-station bins for paper products, conference room bins for glass/plastic/aluminum containers, and large portable bins for office moves or New Year's cleaning projects. Details for obtaining - and emptying - the various types of bins are listed below.

Individual desk bins for paper recycling
The desk-station bins make recycling a "personal" effort. Staff can include just about anything in these blue bins - as well as paper clips, rubber bands, staples and plastic tabs (however, please return these - if possible - to your office supply area). A list of items that can go into the personal blue bin (as well as a short list of items that aren't acceptable) is available through the recycling area of the Sustainable NREL Web site. To get a personal blue bin for your desk station, contact Work Control (ext. 7344).

Conference room bins for drink containers
Sustainable NREL recently distributed medium-sized blue bins, designed for aluminum cans and glass or plastic bottles, in many of our larger conference rooms. By making bins available in these most frequently used areas, we're hoping to reduce the amount of drink containers that are being discarded in the trash. If you notice that a bin in one of the conference rooms is full, please contact Work Control (ext. 7344).

Large bins for office moves/cleaning
Before you begin your move or cleaning projects, ensure that you've evaluated the materials you're recycling. Please return any major items (such as books, software manuals, etc.) to the appropriate owner, and ensure that any records you're throwing away no longer need to be retained. If you need clarification on disposal of sensitive materials - or how long certain records need to be kept - please contact Records Management (ext. 4213). When you're ready to clean, contact Work Control (ext. 7344) and request that recycle bins be delivered temporarily to your location - bins for either nonsensitive or sensitive materials may be requested. When you have completed your clean-up task, contact Work Control to pick up the bins. (January 2004)

For more information, please visit the Sustainable NREL Recycling Web site.
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