Recycling & Shredding

Recycling room

The University of Waterloo has a paper recycling program. When the clear bag in the paper box is full, the custodians empty it and take it down to the receiving area in your building. From there Central Stores picks it up and brings it to ECH where it gets processed. An outside company comes and picks it up from ECH. Please do not throw carbon sheets, sticky labels, glass, plastic and transparencies into these white boxes! Please use only clear bags for paper.

Large volumes of non-Confidential shredding should be sealed in cartons and marked as paper recycling. Please email receiving@uwaterloo.ca when the boxes are ready and we will pick them up. Paper clips and staples are ok and do not need to be taken out.

For styrofoam please put in the garbage. It is no longer accepted as recycling.

Each individual is responsible for cardboard, cans and bottles. Take these items to your receiving area and throw them in the proper bins.

To order a large blue box please call 548-255-3564 for recycling plastic, glass, and metal cans. Central Stores does not pick up the blue boxes.

E-waste and Printer Cartridges

E-waste is collected by Central Stores and prepped in our ECH warehouse for pickup by a university/government approved E-waste recycler.  Email Sean Kimpinski to arrange for a pickup, at your office or lab.

Central Stores is an official E-waste drop off location, so if you have personal items (at home), you can drop the items off at Central Stores, 263 Phillip Street, Waterloo any time Monday to Friday between 8:00 am to 3:30 pm.

Acceptable E-waste items consist of the following:

Cartridges Ink and Toner

  • Original HP, Canon, Dell, Brother, Samsung, Lexmark Cartridges, etc (in the original packaging or bag/box – to contain residual ink/toner)

    The box should be sealed with tape or bagged to prevent leakage.

Cell Phones and Wireless Devices

  • All Cell Phones and Smart Phones
  • iPhones and iPads
  • Tablets
  • Pagers 
  • GPS
  • Modems

Computer and IT Equipment

  • Laptop, Desktop, and Personal Computers
  • Mini & Micro Computers
  • Tablets and iPads
  • CRT, LCD and LED Monitors
  • All Computer Peripherals, Keyboard, Mice, Cables and Wires etc.
  • Computer Parts, CPU, Memory/RAM, Hard Drives and Motherboards
  • CD-ROM and Optical Drives
  • Power Supplies
  • Uninterrupted Power Supply, APC, UPS Battery Back Up Supply

Printers

  • All Laser or Inkjet Printers
  • Fax Machines
  • Scanners
  • Plotters
  • Copiers (Under 90 kgs)

Networking Equipment

  • Servers and Storage Area Networks
  • Routers, Modems and Switches
  • Server Racks
  • Cables and Wires

Telecommunications Equipment

  • Multiline Phone Systems
  • Multiline Phones

Audio Visual Equipment

  • Cable and Satellite Receivers (PVRs)
  • Digital Cameras
  • Ipods and MP3 Players
  • Projectors, Video Players/Recorders
  • Amplifiers, Pre-Amplifiers, Equalizers
  • Radios, Speakers, Turntables
  • Audio Players/Recorders
  • Stereos, Radios, Amplifiers And Speakers
  • Car Audio Equipment
  • Cameras And Camcorders
  • DVD Players, VHS Players And Satellite Receivers
  • TV’s 32” and under

Non-Acceptable Items

  • Bio & Hazardous Waste/Sharps
  • Medical Equipment
  • Chemical Waste
  • Household Hazardous Waste
  • Gas Powered Equipment
  • Medication
  • Machinery containing oils
  • Refrigerators or large appliances