Our focus on waste and recycling is to reduce the amount sent to landfill by expanding campus-wide recycling options, promoting lower consumption practices and raising our diversion rate.
Waste and Recycling
Actions and Activities
Hunter's Facilities Management and Planning and Environmental, Health and Safety Departments re-accept all college-owned monitors, computer components and other electronic devices to prevent e-waste dumping in landfills and prevent subsequent leakage of such devices' toxic chemicals and acids from leaching into disposal sites. A private collection hauler is used to ensure items are responsibly recycled.
“Let’s keep batteries out of landfill!”
Collection tubes are strategically placed around campus to accept old household batteries. When batteries are thrown into the garbage, they usually end up in landfills. The caustic acids they contain can leak out and leach into the soil and water table. Providing drop-off points for battery recycling is a welcome addition to Hunter's sustainability effort.
Expectations
Our expectations to go further and greener include these waste and recycling goals from our Sustainability Plan (PDF):
- Launch of a campus-wide educational campaign of Hunter’s recycling program.
- Increasing the volume and standardizing visibility of recycling bins present on campus.
- Boost visibility of the battery recycling program.
- Make double-sided printing the default setting on campus printers.
- Develop and launch a 30-Day Zero Waste Awareness Challenge at each campus.
- Develop a furniture recycling and exchange program.
- Implement a comprehensive food waste collection solution in Hunter West Cafeteria.
- Increase the waste diversion rate by 30% by December 2028.