Change to recycling system in the Humanities and Social Sciences Library
On Monday, October 26, the recycling system in the Humanities and Social Sciences Library was changed in order to improve recycling rates.
º«¹úÂãÎè's waste management contracts require materials to be sorted into three streams: clean paper, plastic-metal-glass, and trash. In order to mitigate contamination, large recycling stations (megabins) with clearly labeled compartments were installed on each floor of the McLennan Library Building. These bins will make the sorting of recyclable materials much easier and clearer. Signage will also give º«¹úÂãÎè students and staff a much more complete understanding of the "what", "why" and "how" to recycle and sort properly on campus.
To effectively promote proper at-source sorting with the new megabins, all current standalone garbage and blue recycling bins were removed from the McLennan Library Building study areas. Having multiple trash and paper-only recycling bins on each floor promotes poor recycling habits, poor sorting and, in turn, high levels of contamination. The megabins will become the only stations on each floor for recycling and garbage disposal, allowing for effective and easy sorting. (Note: this change includes study areas only and does not affect offices.)
For experimental purposes, the old bin system will be maintained on the 6th floor of the McLennan Library Building. This will allow the results of both systems to be monitored so that the ideal system can ultimately be achieved.
This project, dubbed the Teva Recycling Initiative, is a collaboration between º«¹úÂãÎè student group Teva and the º«¹úÂãÎè Library.
For more information please contact teva.libraries [at] mcgill.ca.