Recycle, Compost & Zero Waste

Pitt has a number of locations to collect dry cell (household) batteries of any size or type. Battery collection units around campus also accept cell phones and iPods.

For safety reasons, please place clear tape over battery terminals. If you have a large volume, please let us know you need a pickup.

Battery Recycling Locations:

• Benedum Hall – Near Dean’s office + in Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (153)
• Bellefield Hall – 2nd floor lobby
• Cathedral of Learning – Ground floor near vending machines
• Chevron Hall – Mail lobby
• Craig Hall – Main entrance, lobby
• Crawford Hall – 2nd floor, entrance lobby
• Dental School – Ground floor, entrance lobby
• Frick Fine Arts – 1st floor, handicapped entrance
• Lawrence Hall – Main entrance vestibule
• Litchfield Tower A – Main lobby entrance
• Lothrop Hall  – Main lobby entrance
• Posvar Hall – 1st floor, elevator lobby
• Public Health – Ground floor, lobby
• Salk Hall – 2nd floor lounge near vending machines
• Scaife Hall – 4th floor, lobby
• Sutherland Hall – Main level entrance
• Trees Hall – Main Level, entrance lobby
• William Pitt Union – Lower Level Forbes Ave. entrance near the custodial supervisor’s office

Wet cell batteries can be recycled also, but require special arrangements for safe pickup; please email zerowaste@pitt.edu or call 412-624-9521.

Pitt’s Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S) department manages regulated wastes at Pitt, including chemicals. Learn more here or contact them via safety@ehs.pitt.edu or 412-624-9505 with any questions regarding proper disposal procedures.

No chemical wastes should be placed in the trash, flushed down drains, and/or otherwise inappropriately disposed. Labs must not accumulate chemical waste for more than 30 days before placing it in the applicable University chemical waste pickup area.

The Pitt Chemical Redistribution Program provides employees the opportunity to donate and/or obtain unopened chemicals free of charge (also reducing expenses for purchasing and waste disposal). This program is available to laboratories on the Pittsburgh camps.

Donate a Chemical, Request Free Chemicals, or View On-Hand Inventory

Every year, EH&S strives to recycle, reuse, or repurpose at least 60% of the University’s chemical waste. In 2022, EH&S diverted 70% of chemical wastes from landfill.

Handheld Devices

Cell phones, iPods, and other handheld electronics can be recycled at the following locations:

• Litchfield Towers – Mail room
• Mascaro Center for Sustainable Innovation (153 Benedum Hall)
• Sutherland Hall – Mail room
• William Pitt Union – Desk
• Battery collection units around campus can also accept cell phones and iPods

Be sure to delete all data from handheld electronics before recycling them.

After being properly decommissioned by Pitt Surplus, these small electronics are recycled by eLoop.

Large Devices

Electronic devices include unwanted computers, monitors, televisions, audio equipment, printers, laptops, fax machines, telephones, and other electronic equipment. Because electronic equipment may contain heavy metals (e.g., lead, mercury, and cadmium) and other toxic materials that can become hazardous to human health and the environment, it must be properly disposed of and recycled. Do not place any electronic equipment in the trash, hallways or loading docks, even if it is broken.

Surplus Property will pick up your e‑waste free of charge. Contact Pitt Surplus for electronics pickup.

Students can drop off tablets & computers at the following locations for safe data destruction & recycling via Pitt Surplus:

• Litchfield Towers – Mail room
• Sutherland Hall – Mail room

After being properly decommissioned by Pitt Surplus, the University’s electronics waste is responsibly handled by eLoop.

Personal Electronics

If you are a City of Pittsburgh resident, see the information on electronics recycling.

Expired medical supplies cannot be used for research or clinical purposes. However, they are perfect tools to help students learn about medical procedures and practices.

Pitt labs and departments can donate expired medical supplies to aid Pitt students in learning.

Request or Donate Expired Items
 

Non-Expired Medical Supplies

If you have medical supplies that have not expired and are safe to be used in clinical or research settings you can:

• Check with your department to see if there is a shared supply closet you can donate items to.
• Bring them to Pitt’s annual Clean & Swap. At this event, other Pitt departments will have an opportunity to claim your unused supplies; medical supplies left at the end of the event will be donated to Global Links.

If you have unopened, unused medical supplies that do not expire for 13 months you can donate them directly to local nonprofit Global Links, which helps items find their next home improving domestic and global access to healthcare supplies.

Pitt recycles fluorescent tubes from campus via a partnered lighting vendor; for pickup, please email zerowaste@pitt.edu or call 412-624-9521. These materials are handled by Scott Electric.

Pitt employees should donate all unwanted furniture & equipment (including laboratory & medical equipment) to Pitt Surplus.

Students should donate all unwanted furniture and household items to Clutter for a Cause during move out.

The University of Pittsburgh offers several opportunities for Pitt laboratories to divert latex, vinyl, and nitrile gloves from landfill into energy.

Before exploring glove recycling options, laboratories must verify their eligibility with Environmental Health & Safety (EH&S).

Labs must be approved for glove recycling by EH&S.

Pitt offices and labs creating used gloves not considered biological or hazardous waste, the following alternative disposal options exist:

Veolia Waste-to-Energy Glove Disposal (Must be in University managed buildings!)

• Gloves made of of latex, vinyl, or nitrile (any brand) accepted.
• No charge for service, which is set up by Pitt EH&S
• Veolia picks up gloves from properly labeled containers on building docks.
• Veolia transports gloves in bulk to Veolia waste-to-energy facilities.

Medline Waste-to-Energy Glove Disposal

• Gloves made of of latex, vinyl, or nitrile (any brand) accepted.
• Labs must purchase boxes in bundles of 5 from Medline through Panther Express by searching for “RECBOXS."
• Labs ship pre-paid boxes direct to to waste-to-energy facilities.

Kimberly-Clark Glove Recycling 

• ONLY Kimberly-Clark brand eligible products accepted, including nitrile gloves, safety glasses, and protective clothing.
• All items can be diverted from landfill in a single box.
• Labs must purchase boxes through Panther Express .
• Labs ship pre-paid boxes direct to Kimberly-Clark.
• Products are sorted and processed into plastic pellets, which are then molded into new consumer products.

There are 3 mechanisms for recycling ink and toner cartridges at Pitt!

Method 1: Supra/ODP Mail Back Program

Empty inkjet and laser toner cartridges from non-managed printers** can be recycled through Supra/ODP’s ink and toner recycling mail back program (sign up here).

Sealed mail back packages can be dropped off for shipping at any drop box locations or university mail pick up locations.

Method 2: Canon Mail Back Program

**For offices & labs with a Canon Multifunction Printer through University Managed Print Services, new toner is auto shipped from Canon to your office/building when the device senses toner is low. No need to order yourself.

Once you replace the cartridge, place the old cartridge in the same box the new cartridge arrived in, using the pulp end molds to secure the cartridge.

Create your label for free mail back on Canon’s site. Print and affix your label to the sealed box.

Drop off your labeled box at nearest UPS drop box location.

Learn more about the toner cartridge recycling process.

Method 3: Drop off at an ink/toner collection bin

Ink and toner cartridges can also be placed in dedicated diversion bins across campus at:

• Benedum Hall – Near Dean’s Office on 1st Floor
• Chevron Hall – Next to mailboxes on 1st Floor
• Posvar Hall – Next to mailboxes in Lobby
• Salk Hall – Next to mailboxes on 2nd Floor
• School of Public Health – Next to mailboxes on Ground Floor

There are LOTS of options to make coffee consumption more sustainable, including composting your grounds from traditional coffee, switching to beans-to-cup machines, using reusable filters (even for Keurig machines), or switching to compostable k-pods.

However, if you’re using Keurig K-Pods, please divert them from the landfill by enrolling in the Keurig Grounds to Grow On program (available at a 50% reduced rate for Pitt offices). Non-compostable K-Pods are separated by Keurig; plastic and foil are recycled, while grounds are composted.

The University of Pittsburgh has two locations where staff, faculty, students, and the public can drop off unused or expired medications safely and securely.

• Public Safety Building: Lobby during business hours
• University Pharmacy at Nordenberg Hall: During business hours

Pharmaceuticals are disposed by third-party incineration. Safely disposing of household pharmaceuticals protects the environment.

The University of Pittsburgh is excited to announce a Pipette Tip Box Recycling pilot for the Pittsburgh campus!

It is estimated that the scientific community creates 12 billion pounds of plastic waste annually. As a leader in both scientific research and sustainability, the University of Pittsburgh is in a unique position to effectively reduce research’s impact on the environment. Pitt’s Pipette Tip Box Recycling pilot was created to help labs reduce landfill waste and single stream recycling contamination caused by “wish-cycling” lab items. By participating in the pipette tip box recycling pilot, you can reduce the environmental impact of your lab and help the University achieve its goal of reducing waste to landfill 25% by 2030.

About the Pilot

• Only clean empty pipette tip boxes can be recycled in the bins provided.
• There are free drop-off bins on the Clapp, Langley, Crawford, and Salk docks, and indoors in the School of Public Health.
• Mailback pilot on hold: For Pitt labs located outside of Clapp, Langley, Crawford, and Salk, pre-paid Polycarbin pipette tip box recycling mailback boxes are available for 1 cent per box

Accepted

• Any brand of pipette tip box
• Pipette tip box racks
• Refill wafers
• Detachable pipette tip box lids (does not need to be detached from box)

Not Accepted

Pipette tips, plastic film, general recycling, hazardous waste, or any other forms of laboratory waste. These items may not be disposed of in the pipette tip box recycling bins.

Read the Pipette Tip Box Recycling diversion guide.

Download Flyer

Labs in Clapp, Langley, Crawford, Salk Hall and the School of Public Health

Polycarbin Pipette Tip Box Recycling bins are located in Clapp, Langley, Crawford, Salk Hall, and the School of Public Health. Just place your pipette tip boxes in the communal collection bins in the hallway and custodial staff will see they get sent to Polycarbin to be recycled.

Pitt Labs in Other Locations

(New Mailback Box Orders Suspended Mid-April 2025)

If your lab is located elsewhere, pre-paid Polycarbin pipette tip box recycling containers can be purchased for 1 cent from the Dietrich School Scientific Stockroom via the PantherExpress punchout. These containers come with pre-paid shipping labels so once they are full, they can simply be placed in the mail!

• Just search for “SB1” in the punchout to place your order or, if you are new to the Stockroom, please follow these detailed ordering instructions.

Why Is This Solution Sustainable?

Today’s recycling infrastructure is not set-up to accept and process laboratory plastics including polypropylene. For instance, the City of Pittsburgh only recycles plastic bottles, jugs, and jars that are 3 gallons or less. It is estimated that polypropylene, one of the primary plastics used in lab products, has a recovery rate of 1%. Pitt’s Polycarbin partnership to divert recycle pipette tip boxes ensures they are recovered and turned into the next generation of lab products.

Pilot Collection Container Locations

Clapp:

• Ground Floor: by G15 Teaching Lab
• 1st Floor: by 111 Plant Prep Room
• 2nd Floor: by 213 Research Lab
• 3rd Floor: by 304 Office Suite & 313
• 4th Floor: by 409 Research Lab

Langley:

• Ground Floor: in 101A
• Floor 3: by A306 & A321
• Floor 4: by A400A & A435A
• Floor 5: by 502 Lab & 540

Crawford:

• Floor 4: by 479 & 461
• Floor 5: by 562, 578, & 568

Life Sciences Annex:

• Floor 1: outside Lab 101
• Floor 2: outside Lab 201
• Floor 3: outside Vestibule 316

Salk Hall, Annex, and Pavillion:

• Upper loading dock off of Darragh Street (behind the trash compactor)

School of Public Health:

• Ground Floor: G039

If your lab is located in Clapp, Langley or Crawford Hall and would like a collection bin on your floor, please contact Pitt Sustainability.

Interested in Sustainable Lab Products?

Then participate in the Green Lab Sample Box pilot today. This box contains 20 items can be ordered through the Dietrich School Scientific Stockroom for just $0.01. Just use the PantherExpress DSS punchout to place your order using catalog code SB2 and get your sample box delivered right to your lab!

Other Resources:

• Pitt Green Labs designation
• Pitt Green Lab Resource Guide
• General Campus Recycling & Materials Diversion from Landfill

Pitt does not offer on-campus recycling for plastic bags or films. However, most local grocery stores (including Giant Eagle) have public plastic bag and film collection. Many grocery store location collection bins (pictured) accept:

• Plastic bags
• Air pillows
• Bubble wrap
• Plastic wrap
• Plastic shipping envelopes

Generally, these plastics find their next life as eco-friendly exterior decking materials.

Recycling plastics can be confusing. Unfortunately (and for a number of reasons), more often than not, the answer is that the plastic in your hand is not recyclable. 

Choose to Reuse when you can, especially with Pitt’s reuse programs, including BYO and Choose to Reuse!

Recyclable plastics should be placed in single stream recycling bins:

Accepted

• Bottles, jars, and jugs
• Cold coffee cups (#1 or 2 plastic; no lids)

NOT Accepted Plastics

• Disposable hot coffee cups (the cardboard coffee cup sleeve can be taken off the cup to be recycled)
• Plastic bags or film (Accepted at many local grocery stores)
• Cartons (paper or plastic; common for milk, juice, or soup)
• Clam shell containers
• Small lids
• Straws
• Styrofoam 

Pitt’s single stream recycling is picked up by Republic and taken to our regional Material Recovery Facility (MRF), which sorts and sells collected materials.

In pursuit of our goal to reduce landfill waste 25% by 2030, Pitt is piloting specialty recycling of expanded polystyrene, also known as Styrofoam ™, in select buildings around campus. This pilot is only for products shipped directly to campus and is NOT open to the public.

Many shipments, especially cold shipments for laboratories, come packaged in Expanded Polystyrene (EPS), or Styrofoam ™. This material is not recyclable in standard single stream recycling.

Accepted Items

• Empty and clean EPS/Styrofoam packaging with stickers and tape removed
• Bagged packing peanuts and other small forms of EPS/ Styrofoam ™

Not Accepted

• Food containers or cups
• EPS/ Styrofoam™ from off campus
• Dirty EPS/ Styrofoam™
• EPS/ Styrofoam™ covered with tape or stickers
• EPS/ Styrofoam™ surrounded by cardboard
• Loose packing peanuts or other small forms of EPS/ Styrofoam™
• Foam mattress toppers or insulation

To recycle EPS/Styrofoam™, you must empty and clean EPS/Styrofoam, remove any stickers and tape. Packing peanuts and other small forms of EPS/ Styrofoam™ need to be placed in a plastic bag to prevent items from blowing away outside. Styrofoam ™ coolers must be removed from cardboard shipping boxes. Once you have your items prepared take them to one of the drop-off areas on campus.

Please never put any other materials in these bins, as it will contaminate the whole batch and have to be sent to landfill.

Styrofoam Collection Locations:

• Clapp/Langley/Crawford: In the breezeway between Langley and Clapp Hall, next to the Pipette Tip Box Recycling Bin.
• Public Health Building: Room G031 on the ground floor, next to the Pipette Tip Box Recycling Bin.
• Salk Hall: On the upper loading dock, behind the small trash compactor.

What happens to the EPS/ Styrofoam ™ once it’s collected?

Collected EPS/ Styrofoam ™ is recycled through partnership with Appliance Warehouse. Pitt Logistics team picks up the EPS/ Styrofoam™ collected on campus and takes it to Appliance Warehouse where it is processed by their densifier into ingots that can be used in other products.

Appliance Warehouse accepts public drop off of EPS/ Styrofoam™ at their Southside location. Please take your personal EPS/ Styrofoam™ directly to them.

Why can’t food containers and cups be recycled?

EPS/ Styrofoam™ food containers and cups aren’t able to be recycled because EPS/ Styrofoam™ is a porous material allowing grease, liquid, and food particles to seep in. This makes food containers nearly impossible to de-contaminate. If contaminated products make it to the recycler it could cause damage to their densifier, halting recycling operations.

Clothing and textiles are ~6.3% of the U.S. waste stream, so please help us divert textile items that are no longer usable back into the circular economy.

The University of Pittsburgh launched its textile recycling program in 2020 — and now collects unusable textiles in a number of locations around campus with 2 public drop-off sites (large labeled blue bins in the parking lots of the O’Hara Student Center & 7500 Thomas Blvd).

Clothing and textiles are ~6.3% of the U.S. waste stream, representing a campus- and city-wide opportunity to keep textiles in the circular economy, while helping reach our goal of reducing landfill waste 25% from 2017 levels by 2030.

Please continue to donate all wearable clothing and accessories to the University of Thriftsburgh (on-campus thrift store in the O’Hara Student Center) or to your local reuse stores!

Accepted Items

• Clothing, including coats, shoes, & accessories.
• Hats, gloves, belts, shoes, jewelry, & other accessories.
• Linens, towels, bedding, & curtains

Not Accepted

• Mattress toppers
• Pillows
• Hazardous waste
• Single stream recyclables

All textiles are diverted back into the circular economy by our partners.

Campus textile recycling collection units are located across campus near existing battery and/or toner diversion locations:

• Alumni Hall – Main Lobby, Lytton St. Entrance
• Benedum Hall – Lobby
• Biomedical Science Tower – Lobby
• Bruce Hall – Lobby
• Cathedral of Learning – Ground Floor (Near Elevators)
• Chevron HallCraig Hall – Main Lobby
• Eureka Building – Main Lobby
• Forbes Hall – Second Floor Lounge
• Hillman Library – Ground Floor Lobby
• Irvis Hall – Ground Floor (Near Print Station)
• Litchfield Towers – Lobby near ATM
• Lothrop Hall – Main Floor (Near Mail Room)
• Mervis Hall – Ground Floor
• Nordenberg Hall  – Main Floor (Near Mail Room)
• O’Hara Student Center – Hallway near Hydration Station & Men’s Rest Room + Large blue bin in parking lot (Public drop-off)
• Panther Hall – Ground Floor (Near Mail Room)
• Park Plaza – Main PAE Lobby (Behind Buzzer)
• Petersen Events Center – Mezzanine, 2nd Floor
• Public Safety Building – Forbes Avenue Lobby
• Posvar Hall – Main Lobby (Near Elevators)
• Ruskin Hall – Main Floor Lounge
• Salk Hall
• Scaife Hall – 4th Floor, Terrace St. Entrance
• School of Public Health – DeSoto Lobby
• Sutherland Hall – Main Floor (Near East Entrance by Panther Central Express)
• Thomas Blvd. – Large blue bin in parking lot past gates, behind building near picnic table and entrance (Public drop-off)
• William Pitt Union – Main Lobby

Map of Textile Recycling Locations