Skip to main content

Campus-Wide Bin Information

You may have noticed our standardized “waste stations” around campus! These are intended to provide easily accessible and consistent information about our three main campus waste streams: compost, recycling, and trash.

About the Waste Stations

Each tri-bin waste station has a green compost bin (with compostable liners), a blue recycling bin, and a black trash bin. We have two models of waste bins, as you can see in the pictures below. We also have an alternative signage we use in residential halls. 

waste station with compost, trash, and recycling bins side by side
waste station with compost, trash, and recycling bins side by side

 

Waste Signage

You can download your own high-resolution, printable copies of our current signage by clicking on the links below:

We have strived to make this signage as clear, informative, and easy to use as possible, but we welcome your feedback and ideas. Please email us at zerowaste@swarthmore.edu with questions. 

Desk-Side Waste Bins in Offices

The College has finished outfitting all office spaces with small, black "buddy bins" that will be attached to pre-existing desk-side, blue, recycling bins. Neither bins are lined - instead, all employees are asked to empty their personal desk-side bins into a nearby hallway tri-bin waste station, which can be found in or near every office space on campus. Employees are encouraged to use their black buddy bin for trash or compost, and the blue bin for recycling.

The Buddy Bin system eliminates the need for plastic liners and facilitates waste sorting. It has been implemented in select office spaces across campus over the past few years, and we are thrilled to complete the transition campus-wide. Using the Buddy Bin system helps reduce the amount of our trash that gets incinerated in Chester, and reduces contamination in our recycling and compost. We appreciate your support with this initiative and welcome any questions to zerowaste@swarthmore.edu.