Waste

A major university like NC State needs and uses lots of resources. How those resources are used and managed matters.

With the leadership of Waste Reduction and Recycling, NC State actively creates procedures, procurement and a culture where source reduction of materials is the first priority for waste reduction followed by reuse and recycling. Waste is a potential loss of resources that would otherwise have economic and environmental benefits. The university works through defined strategies of source reduction, programs and creating a culture shift toward waste consciousness. Many campus waste reduction efforts are guided by  NC legislation Senate Bill 111  (mandates state entities to recycle and reduce waste) and General Statute 130A-309.10(f-m)  (bans landfill disposal of certain items).

Learn more at recycling.ncsu.edu

61% of campus waste was diverted from the landfill in fiscal year 2021.

NC State uses reuse programs to extend a product’s life cycle. This minimizes environmental impacts and conserves both natural and economic resources.

Reuse Programs at NC State

NC State’s Compost Facility and Research Cooperative opened in 2019 and makes NC State a part of a closed-loop organic waste management system. The Compost Facility’s 3-acre site can process up to 1,200 pounds of organic waste annually and currently collects materials from facilities across campus including NC State Dining Halls, Talley Student Union, Carmichael Recreation Center and Howling Cow Creamery.

More than 1.2 million pounds of uneaten food and compostable papers and organics end up in NC State’s waste-to-landfill each year. There, it degrades and produces methane, a harmful greenhouse gas. By composting this material instead of sending it to the landfill, NC State improves our air quality, soil, food production and our Wolfpack community.

Learn how to compost at NC State

Recycling is one way that NC State can recover the economic and environmental benefits of generated waste.

There are many ways to recycle on campus. Plastic and glass bottles, tubs, jugs and jars, metal cans, paper cartons and cardboard are all accepted in recycling bins, carts and dumpsters at NC State.

For more information on where to recycle or properly dispose of these items and more on NC State’s campus, please visit Waste Reduction and Recycling’s Recycling Guide.

Learn how to recycle at NC State

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Harnessing the ability of wood products to store carbon even after harvest could have a significant effect on greenhouse gas emissions and change commonly accepted forestry practices, a new study from NC State researchers suggests. The new study published in the journal Carbon Balance and Management uses carbon storage modeling to link the carbon stored in…
ADDITIONAL RESOURCES

Wolfpack Guide to Zero Waste – Use this guidebook for tips on how to live, learn, lead and take action for zero waste on campus.

Zero Waste at NC State – Learn how NC State strives for zero waste.

Recycling and Solid Waste Reduction – View resources on recycling from NC State Extension, the largest outreach program at NC State.