Department of Facilities Management

UMaine Recycles

Welcome to UMaine Recycles.  Part of Facilities Management, UMaine Recycles' primary function is managing recycling and waste management services for the majority of the campus community.  Below find links to the various components of our services.

• The Depot Recycling & Redemption Center
  
• The Greenbike Program
  
• Resource Recovery At The University Of Maine
  
• Resource Recovery In Offices
  
• Resource Recovery In Dining Services
  
• Resource Recovery In Housing
  
• Resource Recovery In Fraternities & Sororities
  
• The Material Recovery Facility (MRF)

THE DEPOT RECYCLING AND REDEMPTION CENTER

The Depot Recycling and Redemption Center, a student run and managed cooperative program of UMaine Recycles and the Town of Orono, was established in 1991 to expand recycling opportunities to the greater Orono and campus community for materials generated at home. The Depot strives to provide comprehensive recycling and redemption services that are easy and convenient to use. Please read on for specific service related information.

Recyclables Accepted by the Depot: The Depot accepts many types of recyclables.

CLICK HERE to view and print an Acrobat™ file of The Depot's "SORT & SAVE" Guide for Recycling.

Location & Directions: The Depot is located in the Facilities Management complex on the UMaine campus. From the Rangeley Road campus entrance, proceed past the Public Safety Building and bare right at the fork in the road. Take your first right at the Service Building sign and bare left into the Facilities Management complex. Directly ahead will be the Central Supply loading docks. The Depot is two doors down to the right of Central Supply. Enter The Depot, proceed to the service counter, and ring the bell for service. See map button on the menu at left for additional location information.

Hours: The Depot is open Monday through Friday, 12 PM to 6 PM and Saturday 10 AM to 2 PM. The Depot is closed Sunday, Holidays, the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, and when classes are cancelled.

Specific Schedule Changes: None at this time.

Telephone: (207) 581-3310 for Voice Menu, or (207) 581-3309 during open hours to talk with an attendant or to leave a message.

A Note on Recyclables we do not Accept: The Depot accepts for recycling as many materials as we can. The Depot does not accept some recyclables as we lack economical markets. These items include EGG CARTONS, PLASTIC SIX PACK RINGS, #1 PLASTICS AND #3 THROUGH #7 PLASTICS, PAPER/PLASTIC COMPOSITE MATERIALS like some packaging, and BATTERIES of all types. If you have materials that you are unsure if The Depot accepts, please call during open hours.

Want 10% more back on your returnables? Show your UMaine ID to The Depot Attendant and receive 10% more back on your returnable bottles and cans – every time!» Top

THE GREENBIKE PROGRAM

What is a GreenBike?

The UMaine GreenBike Program encourages the use of bicycles to move around campus and the local community rather than the use of motor vehicles by providing free bicycle transportation to everyone. GreenBikes are single speed bicycles in all shapes and sizes. All GreenBikes have coaster breaks. All GreenBikes are free for the using. All GreenBikes are for everyone.

Where do the UMaine GreenBikes come from?

The UMaine GreenBikes Program started in 2001 as a grassroots project by the Student Environmental Action Coalition (SEAC).  SEAC rebuilt about 50 donated bicycles per year through 2003.  In 2004, Pi Kappa Alpha (PIKE) started managing the program.  PIKE continues the tradition of receiving donated bikes, rebuilding them, painting them green, and placing them around campus for use by visitors, students, faculty and staff.  PIKE currently rebuilds about 100 bikes per year.  Bikes are donated by students, faculty, and staff, as well as local community members and municipal police departments.  Donated bikes are inspected, tested, and modified/repaired as necessary to ensure safety to those who ride them before they become GreenBikes and are put into service for public use.

How does the UMaine GreenBike Program work?

If you need a ride, and there is a GreenBike handy in the bike rack, hop on and ride to wherever you are going. When you get there, leave the GreenBike in the bike rack, outside the store downtown, outside your apartment, or other visible location for the next person to use. It may or may not be there when you come out of class, leave your meeting, or go to return to your office or apartment. Then again, there may be one or more other GreenBikes added to the rack while you were gone. All GreenBikes are free for the using. All GreenBikes are for everyone.

What can I do to help support the UMaine GreenBike Program?

PI Kappa Alpha, UMaine Recycles, and supporters of the program envision many more GreenBikes on campus in the future.  This is a community-based project, by and for the community, and your help is always appreciated, and needed, to ensure the success of the UMaine GreenBikes Program.  Here is what you can do to help:

1. Please do not lock up GreenBikes.
2. Please do not hide or store GreenBikes for your exclusive use.
3. Please do not abuse the GreenBikes.
4. If you come across a broken GreenBike, and you are so inclined to lend a hand and repair it, please do.
5. If you have one or more bicycles to donate to the program, please drop them off at The Depot Recycling and Redemption Center on campus (see above for information on The Depot).
6. If you can not bring donated or damaged GreenBikes to us, please call us and we will come pick them up. Please call the Pi Kappa Alpha house at 207-866-2108 to arrange a pick up.
7. If you are a local business and you want to help by donating bicycles, tools, work space, or your time, please call Pi Kappa Alpha at 207-866-2108 for additional information.
8. Please ride with caution.

RESOURCE RECOVERY AT UNIVERSITY OF MAINE

In 1989, the Maine State Legislature passed Maine Revised Statutes Title 38, section 2137(5) directing State agencies, municipalities and the University of Maine System to establish waste reduction and recycling programs. In the ensuing two-year period, UMaine explored what a recycling program would look like, held public forums to discuss options, and had other universities visit and share their experiences. Students, faculty and staff supported the efforts, desiring to achieve higher goals and to be a model program.

In 1991, recourse recovery at UMaine took shape. Initially established to collect and recycle various paper products, the effort rapidly outpaced State recycling goals to accept a wider variety of materials for recycling and composting that continues today.

Paper products of all types generated on campus are collected for recycling, organic discards from dining facilities are collected for composting, construction and demolition debris is collected and sorted for recovery, and a host of other materials are recovered every year.

The effort has also reached out to the community with services to expand local recovery opportunities. The Depot Recycling and Redemption Center is an example of such a program.

UMaine's resource recovery services continues to grow. The on-going support and participation by the students, faculty and staff will ensure our success. Please contact UMaine Recycles, Facilities Management, at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu for additional information. » Top

RESOURCE RECOVERY IN OFFICES

The number one recyclable material generated in an office or classroom campus-wide is paper. Letterhead, newspapers, magazines, books, scrap paper, colored paper, paperboard, and a host of other paper products are recyclable at UMaine. Each office and classroom has one or more blue or green "Paper Only" recycling bins. All paper products are collected mixed in the paper recycling bins. Some offices have a central paper collection barrel. Custodians collect the mixed paper daily into clear plastic bags and place it outside the building for pick-up by staff of UMaine Recycles. More than 500 tons of paper products pass through the hands of our staff annually as it is sorted into four different grades of recyclable paper and taken to the City of Bangor's regional recycling processing facility for baling. The Maine Resource Recovery Association sells our recyclables for us to various end users and recyclers. » Top

CLICK HERE to view and print an Acrobat™ file of the "Recycling is Academic" Office Recycling Guide.

Recycling and Waste Collection Bins

UMaine Recycles provides paper collection bins, free of charge, for offices, classrooms, labs and any other environment on campus where paper is generated. Several sizes and styles of blue paper collection bins are available. We also have a Saddle Basket Waste Bin available. These handy little receptacles are ideal for waste in environments where the majority of discarded material is recyclable paper. The Saddle Basket Waste Bin hangs either on the outside or the inside of the standard office paper recycling bin. Please contact UMaine Recycles at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu for additional information or to order collection bins. Please contact your custodian for other waste receptacles.

Special Services

UMaine Recycles can come to your location to pick-up large items or large volumes of materials for recycling or disposal that may result from cleaning out an office or a storage area. Please contact UMaine Recycles at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu for additional information or to request services.

RESOURCE RECOVERY IN DINING SERVICES

Dining Services generates a variety of recyclables. Metal cans and aluminum foil, glass, cardboard, #2 plastics and food scraps for composting are just a few materials collected daily from the Dining Commons, markets, and public eateries and take out services across campus. Compostables are taken to the Witter Animal Science Center for composting. Recyclables are taken to the City of Bangor's regional recycling processing facility for baling. The Maine Resource Recovery Association sells our recyclables for us to various end users and recyclers. » Top

Recycling and Compost Bins

Please contact Auxiliary Services Property Management at 581-4999 to order collection bins for recyclables and compostables.

Special Services

UMaine Recycles can come to your location to pick-up large items or large volumes of materials for recycling or disposal that may result from cleaning out an office, the kitchen or a storage area. Please contact UMaine Recycles at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu for additional information or to request services.

RESOURCE RECOVERY IN HOUSING

Traditional residence halls, student apartments, and family housing units on campus have access to the full range of recycling services in one form or another. Paper, metal cans and aluminum foil, glass, #2 plastic and other recyclables can be taken to designated locations at these facilities for recycling pick-up.

Traditional Residence Halls and Apartments

For information on recycling services available in traditional residence halls, please contact Auxiliary Services Property Management Office at 581-4999. » Top

Family Housing

Students and their families living at University Park Family Housing are issued one blue curb side recycling bin for their apartment for the collection of mixed recyclables.  Upon request, "Paper Only" blue recycling bins are available. At the outdoor collection station located near the main entrance to the complex, receptacles are provided for residents to separate and deposit their paper, metals, glass, and #2 plastics for recycling.  Dumpsters are located throughout the complex for waste. Please contact Auxiliary Services Property Management at 581-4999 for additional information.

RESOURCE RECOVERY IN FRATERNITIES AND SORORITIES

Students residing in fraternity and sorority houses have available to them all recycling services available to residents living on campus. Upon request, UMaine Recycles will set up recycling services at any fraternity and sorority house. UMaine Recycles will also provide, free of charge, blue recycling receptacles for the collection of paper, glass, metals, and #2 plastics. To take advantage of recycling services, please contact UMaine Recycles at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu. » Top

Recyclables Collection Schedule

UMaine Recycles will collect all common recyclables from participating fraternity and sorority houses on-call during the business day, Monday through Friday, from outside the back door of the house.  To request a collection, please contact UMaine Recycles at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu.

Dumpster Services

UMaine Recycles facilitates a Rubbish Removal Services contract for all fraternity and sorority houses. Please contact UMaine Recycles at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu with questions about your dumpster, collection schedule, service provider, dumpster locks and keys, or to report a problem with the dumpster or the service provider.

Special Services

UMaine Recycles will come to any fraternity and sorority house and collect for recycling large items for recycling or disposal that may result from a clean out project. These items typically include appliances, furniture and miscellaneous wood waste that is not generated from a renovation project. Fraternity and sorority house undergoing a renovation project are encouraged to contact UMaine Recycles for assistance in securing the appropriate contracted services for the containerization, collection and removal of renovation wastes. Please contact UMaine Recycles at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu for additional information or to request services.» Top

THE MATERIAL RECOVERY FACILITIES (MRF)

UMaine maintains a small Material Recovery Facility (MRF, pronounced 'murph') where a variety of bulky wastes and hard to dispose of materials generated from construction, land clearing, and renovation projects are staged, reprocessed for reuse, or processed for disposal. Materials reprocessed for reuse include brush and tree waste, soil, asphalt, concrete, stone and other aggregate. Brush and tree waste is chipped and used on campus for building woodland paths or sold to local companies that use wood chips as a biomass fuel. Soil, asphalt, concrete, stone and other aggregates are stock piled, crushed and screened, and reused in sidewalk and road construction projects, landscaping, drainage materials around culverts and piping, and various other applications suitable for these reclaimed materials. Please contact UMaine Recycles at 581-3076 or email dennis.grant@umit.maine.edu for additional information or to request services.

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