How to recycle during college move | Shenzhen Molds Group Co.,Ltd

First year students move-in to Western Heights dormitories at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo, Michigan on Friday, August 27, 2021. (Joel Bissell | MLive.com)Joel Bissell | MLive.com

This story was updated to reflect the city’s EPS Foam and electronics recycling event will be held on Oct. 28.

KALAMAZOO, MI -- In late August, Kalamazoo’s streets are abuzz with traffic as students and families move their children into college.

More often than not, moving generates plenty of trash and recycling. Rather than loading up the dumpster, here are alternatives to recycling your moving waste.

Western Michigan University

WMU processes recycling waste generated on campus through a Single Stream Recycling system, according to their website. All recycling items can be placed in one container and don’t need to be sorted.

Here’s what you can recycle at WMU:

All items placed in a recycling bin must be removed of food waste or food residue. If you can’t remove it-- like the oil stains on a pizza box-- it can’t be recycled. To avoid unrecyclable materials, WMU advises bringing your own Tupperware out to restaurants. Take-out containers and food waste cannot be recycled.

Packing materials made of EPS foam (like packing peanuts) and plastic bags should stay out of the recycling bins.

Styrofoam labeled number six, a specific type of material produced by Dow Chemical Company can be recycled. Bending the item to see if it snaps is a good test to determine if it’s Styrofoam labeled six, according to WMU.

Any tangles like string lights or clothes cannot be recycled. Opt to donate those instead. Electronics and hazardous waste should also not be recycled. Cardboard carpet rolls can’t be recycled because they’re saturated with glue, according to WMU.

Dorms will have a large dumpster for recycling stationed outside during move-in days.

Kalamazoo College

Kalamazoo College has three recycling stations on campus. There you can dump recyclables placed in a small blue bin provided in all dorm rooms. The large blue bins in academic buildings accept all recyclables.

Here’s what you can recycle at Kalamazoo College:

Keep Styrofoam, batteries, tissues, napkins, food wrappers and food out of recycling bins. Electronic waste also can’t be recycled.

Off-campus residents

Recycling information for the city of Kalamazoo can be found at kalamazoocity.org. A single unit residential property should have a recycling cart to take to the curb for regular pick-ups. If you don’t have one, you can request one from the city online, by phone at 311 or in-person. Place your cart at the curb by 6 a.m. on collection day and remove it by 11 p.m.

Multi-unit properties have 24-hour-access to recycling containers and pick-up is coordinated by the city.

Here’s what recycling the city accepts:

For food products, the city won’t accept refrigerated or wax-coated paperboard, paper towels, tissues, napkins and plates, even if they haven’t been used. Any food residue also makes materials un-recyclable. If glass is used for cooking, heat resistant or broken into small pieces it also can’t be recycled.

Plastic grocery bags and cash register receipts also can’t be recycled.

Be mindful of household items like batteries, wire hangers scrap metal, screws, nails, needles and syringes and light bulbs as those can’t be recycled either.

What to do with non-recyclable materials

There are other alternatives to materials that can’t regularly be collected through recycling. The city will host an EPS Foam and electronics recycling event on Oct. 28 at Mayor’s Riverfront Park. There you can take foam labeled with a 6 symbol. Packing peanuts will not be accepted.

The following electronics will also be accepted:

The city also accepts household hazardous waste at 1301 Lamont Avenue. The service is free to Kalamazoo County residents excluding those in Climax Township. A full list of accepted materials can be found here.

Bee Joyful Shop at 243 S Kalamazoo Mall in downtown Kalamazoo collects eco-bricks, densely packed plastic bottles with small plastics like clean food wrappers and plastic bag scraps. They also collect EPS foam year-round.

Meijer (6660 W Main St.) and Kohl’s (5159 W Main St.) both collect plastic bags and films from their store. At Meijer you can also return bottles and cans purchased in store.

For clothing you no longer want, St. Vincent DePaul Church (513 Eleanor St.), Twelve Baskets Food Pantry (10332 Portage Road) and Sunny Side Church (2800 Gull Road) distribute donated clothing to Kalamazoo’s houseless community.