Appliances:  White appliances, including televisions, microwaves, stoves, and refrigerators are collected by staff from Maintenance and Stores.  Please call for their collection at 785-8586.  These items are required to be delivered to a state approved recycling agency.  UW-La Crosse delivered 68 appliances to the state approved agency,  Scientific Recycling of Holmen, in 2002.

Ballasts:  Ballasts from fluorescent fixtures are collected and sorted to identity ballasts that contain oil. Metals from oil containing ballasts are recycled as part of a State of Wisconsin Ballast Recycling contract. 

Batteries: Automotive type batteries that are used by University vehicles are recycled per State mandate when purchasing replacement batteries.  All other batteries (NiCad, lithium, lead acid/gel, etc.) except alkaline, are collected for recycling.  Batteries from off campus, or personal use are not acceptable as part of this program.  Non-metallic components are thermally destroyed.  During the calendar year of 2002, UW-L recycled 280 pounds of NiCad batteries and 34 pounds of lead batteries.

Branches and tree trimmings:  Larger branches from shrub and tree pruning are collected and delivered to the City of La Crosse for tub grinding.  Tub grinding cuts the material into smaller pieces, approximately 2-4”, for use in landscaping as mulch material.

Cardboard:  Cardboard is considered as part of the mixed paper recycling and should be deposited in any white collector located outside all buildings.  Smaller sizes and quantities of cardboard can be deposited into the paper recycling collectors.

Cleaning fluids: Parts washing and paint bush cleaning fluids are distilled and re-used in campus operations. During the calendar year of 2002, UW-L recycled 90 pounds of cleaning fluid.

Computers: Campus Surplus Property handles Computers and computer components.  The first option is to ‘re-use’ the products by reassigning the items for an alternate campus use.  The second option, again to ‘re-use’, is to sell these items at public sale for reuse.  The third option is to deliver the items to the University of Wisconsin-Madison for sale in their surplus property sale.  Computers and computer peripherals that cannot be sold are recycled to the extent practicable.

Concrete rubble:  Concrete rubble is sorted from other construction debris and delivered to the County of La Crosse Sanitary Landfill where it may be used as fill on site. Separating this material lowers the cost of disposal at the landfill.  UW-L sorted and hauled 115,268 pounds of construction debris to the La Crosse County Landfill in 2002.

Glass:  Glass, including clear-white-colored, is commingled with tin for recycling through Waste Management of La Crosse.  This product is collected on all floors of all academic buildings and throughout the Student Center buildings.  Residence Life buildings have exterior collection points for this product.  UW-L recycled 14,960 pounds of glass-tin-aluminum in the commingled recycling efforts in 2002.

Lamps:  All mercury containing fluorescent tubes and bulbs are collected for recycling. During the calendar year of 2002, UW-L recycled approximately 9,500 bulbs/lamps.

Mercury containing articles:  Mercury switches, thermometers and other mercury containing articles are collected and recycled.  During the calendar year of 2002, UW-L recycled 176 pounds of mercury containing articles.

Oil:  Automotive and industrial oils are recycled. During the calendar year of 2002, UW-L recycled 380 gallons of oil.

Oil filters:  Used oil filters are crushed to expel as much oil as possible and then recycled.

Organic Solvents: Used high BTU content solvents are blended and used as a fuel source in various industrial operations.  During the calendar year of 2002, UW-L recycled 535 pounds of organic solvents.

Paints: Latex and other paints in useable condition are re-used as base coats whenever possible.

Pallets:  Wood pallets are collected by staff from UW-L Landscape Services.  The pallets are sorted for reuse.  If pallets are inappropriate for reuse then it is delivered to the County Landfill where they are processed to be used as wood mulch, which is sold for landscaping.

UW-L sorted and hauled 19,121 pounds of wood pallets and scrap wood for reuse-recycling in 2002.

Paper:  This product is collected on all floors of all academic buildings and throughout the Student Center buildings.  Residence Life buildings have exterior collection points for this product.  The mixed paper collection is delivered to Waste Management of La Crosse for sorting and recycling.  UW-L recycled 389,700 pounds of paper and cardboard in the 2002-2003 fiscal year.

Photo developing fixer:  Photo developing fixers are metered through a steel wool canister and the recovered silver is recycled.  During the calendar year of 2002, UW-L recycled 1,224 pounds of photo developing fixer.

Plastic:  #1 and #2:  These products are collected in all buildings and outside each Residence Hall at the recycling stations.  Plastic that is not identified as #1 or #2 (look on the bottom of the item) should be deposited in waste receptacles or the outdoor green trash boxes at all Residence Halls.

Scrap metal/Steel: Scrap steel and other scrap metals are collected and sorted from the waste stream.  These products are loaded and hauled by Landscape Services to a local scrap metal dealer for recycling.  UW-L recycled 96,814 pounds of scrap metals in 2002.

Tin:  This product is collected on all floors of all academic buildings and throughout the Student Center buildings.  Residence Life buildings have exterior collection points for this product.  Additionally, tin cans from the food centers are collected and recycled through Waste Management of La Crosse.    UW-L recycled 14,960 pounds of glass-tin-aluminum in the commingled recycling efforts in 2002.

Tires:  Tires from University vehicles are sorted and traded into the tire suppliers, or sorted and delivered to the County Landfill for recycling.  UW-L sorted 71 tires from the waste stream for reuse-recycling in 2002.

Wood scraps:  Scrap wood that is not painted or finished and is not appropriate for reuse is delivered to the County Landfill where it is processed to be used as wood mulch which is sold for landscaping.  UW-L sorted and hauled 19,121 pounds of wood pallets and scrap wood for reuse-recycling in 2002.

Yard waste:  The majority of grass clippings are left on-site for the benefit of the lawn areas.  Occasionally the grass clippings are collected from the sportsfields and delivered to the City of La Crosse for incorporation into their compost system.  Leaves and smaller yard waste is collected and delivered to the City of La Crosse for their compost system.