Sort it Out
UBC Okanagan is working toward a zero-waste campus by 2030, with a goal to cut per capita waste in half. Through campus-wide participation in proper sorting, waste reduction and reusable practices, we can make a measurable impact.
Waste reduction campaigns
Reducing waste isn’t just about having the right bins—it’s about building the right habits.
Sort it Out campaigns bring awareness, education and a bit of creativity to help the campus community rethink what we can reuse or throw away, and where it all goes.
Ongoing Campaigns:
Reduce Waste, Save Money: Bring Your Reusable Cup
Help cut down on single-use items at UBC Okanagan by bringing your reusable cup to campus. Enjoy a $0.50 eco-discount at campus food outlets—saving you $50–100 per year while keeping waste out of the landfill.
Small changes add up to a big impact.
Previous campaigns
Recycle Your Coffee Cup—Small Actions, Big Impact
Single-use coffee cups make up 20 per cent of campus waste at UBC Okanagan, yet most are recyclable. A 2014 waste audit found that 85 per cent of campus garbage could have been diverted through recycling or composting, highlighting the need for better waste sorting.
Use one or two—Small Change, Big Impact
Paper towels may seem harmless, but they make up 29 per cent of UBC Okanagan’s waste, with over 28,900 pounds sent to landfills annually. Decomposing paper towels release methane, a greenhouse gas 21 times more potent than CO₂. By using just one or two paper towels, you can help reduce waste, conserve resources, and lower emissions.
Guides and resources
Below is a list of resources to help the UBC Okanagan community sort waste properly and reduce landfill contributions. From sorting guides and resources, these tools make it easier to recycle correctly and support a waste-free campus.
The A-Z Recyclepedia is an interactive guide provided by UBC’s Sustainability Office to help the campus community identify how to properly recycle, return, or compost various materials on campus. By using this resource, individuals can contribute to a greener campus by ensuring waste is sorted correctly at designated recycling stations.
Key Features
- Comprehensive Listings: The guide offers an alphabetical list of items, detailing the appropriate disposal methods for each.
- Waste Sorting Guidance: It provides information on the correct use of recycling stations, including which bins to use for specific materials.
By using the A-Z Recyclepedia, you can actively participate in waste reduction efforts and support campus sustainability initiatives.
Additional Educational Resources
- Watch a short video on How to Sort Your Waste at UBC Okanagan, developed by GEOG491D students in 2019.
- The BC Recyclepedia helps you find off-campus locations for your recyclable materials.
- The Regional District of the Central Okanagan (RDCO) also has more information about recycling.
Sorting it Out FAQ
- Plastic bags and plastic packaging: On campus, plastic bags are only accepted in the black/grey waste bins. However, these items are accepted as recyclable material at off-campus Return-It Depots.
- Napkins and paper towels: Napkins and paper towels are accepted in the compost program at UBC Okanagan.
- Styrofoam: Styrofoam packing blocks and clean take-out containers are accepted in the campus blue bin recycling program. Simply place the styrofoam in clear bags and place beside blue bins located within academic and administration buildings for pick-up by Pathways Ability Society.
- Please note: packing peanuts, chips and noodles are not accepted. Please keep for reuse or place in the black/gray waste bin.
Need more information? Contact the Sustainability Office for assistance.
The Green Labs initiative supports sustainable research by helping campus laboratories reduce waste, cut energy use and lower greenhouse gas emissions.
Through targeted programs like lab recycling, energy reduction and best practices in sustainable purchasing, Green Labs empowers researchers to make environmentally responsible choices that support a more sustainable campus.
Waste audits are conducted every two years to help educate the campus community about the importance of recycling.
Encorp: Return-It Depots provides information on where you can return your refundables and recycle residential glass, styrofoam, electronics and plastic bags in one location.
Recycle BC provides an assortment of recycling, campaign and educational resources.
The Regional District of Central Okanagan’s waste and recycling website contains residential-specific information on what to recycle, your garbage schedule and upcoming reuse events.
The Glenmore landfill website provides information on their location, Ogogrow & Glengrow sales, Christmas tree chipping schedule, Repair Cafe, Landfill Gas Management Program, and much more.
How to Sort Your Waste At UBC Okanagan
Learn how to properly sort your waste at UBC Okanagan with a short, student-made video. Developed as a peer-to-peer educational tool, the video helps raise awareness about waste and recycling practices on campus.
Collaborations
Reducing waste generation is the most important way we can improve waste management. UBCO has a number of initiatives to green our operations, and the Sustainability Office works with the following units on their sustainable initiatives.
UBC Okanagan Food Services has taken steps to eliminate single-use plastic straws and cutlery, and encourages the reduction of single-use to-go products, including cups and containers, by offering discount programs to reduce waste and protect our planet.
UBC Okanagan is committed to reducing its environmental footprint through smarter workplace choices. Two key initiatives from the UBC IT Okanagan and Supply Management units help support a greener campus. CWL Required:
- Paper Ordering Procedure: Reducing your paper use and purchasing paper with recycled content can help to save precious resources and reduce UBC’s carbon offset costs.
- Sustainable Purchasing Guide: This guide has been designed to help students, faculty and staff purchase sustainable goods and services.
UBC Okanagan is committed to responsible waste management and diversion, ensuring that recyclable, compostable and waste materials are properly sorted.
Through designated recycling stations and partnerships with local processors, the university supports a sustainable campus by reducing landfill waste and promoting responsible disposal practices.
- Your Waste, Your Responsibility: A desk-side recycling program encouraging building occupants to empty their own recycling and waste bins. Offices are provided with large recycling bins and small waste containers to promote proper waste sorting and reduce landfill contributions.
- Campus Recycling Stations: Every building foyer and hallway features a designated recycling station with clear signage for proper sorting. The diversion streams include:
- Blue Bins—Recyclable Items
- Green Bins—Refundable Items
- Yellow Bins—Compostable Materials
- Pink Tubes—Batteries and small e-waste (e.g., cell phones)
- Grey Bins—Waste
- Composting with Spa Hills Farm: UBC Okanagan works with Spa Hills Farm to collect and process compostable materials from yellow bins across campus. The expanded composting program accepts all organics, food, meat, wooden utensils, chopsticks, pizza boxes, napkins, coffee filters, tea bags and compostable-stamped containers.
By participating in these programs, the UBC Okanagan community can help divert waste, reduce emissions, and contribute to a more sustainable campus.