Waste and Recycling
Valencia's recycling program started in February 2007 with the voluntary collection of paper at our East and West Campuses. The number of campuses participating and the streams of recyclables grew to include more materials. The College has always practiced multi-stream recycling, meaning that recyclables are separated at the source through different bins for different materials such as paper/cardboard (aka “fiber”), plastic, and aluminum.
In 2016, the College transitioned to single stream recycling through a new vendor for several reasons:
- Make recycling easier for employees and students
- Align with what most of Central Florida already practices
- Decrease custodial labor time and plastic liners needed to support three (aluminum, plastic, paper) recycle collection bins vs. one
- Single stream collection bins require less floor space
You can comingle paper, cardboard, aluminum, and plastic all into one recycle bin, like many are already used to at home. Please keep trash out of recycling bins to avoid contamination penalty fees and to prevent collected recyclables from contaminated, which results in recycling going to landfill instead of being turned into new products.
Plant Operations/Custodial and Sustainability manage this program.
As an Academic Institution, we use a lot of markers, pens, and batteries. As we seek to divert waste from the landfill, we offer a plastic writing instrument and battery recycling program for students, faculty, and staff at Valencia College.
What is Recyclable?
Accepted plastic writing instruments:
- Pens
- Mechanical pencils
- Markers (permanent, dry erase, coloring)
- Pen and marker caps
- No wooden or colored pencils!
Accepted batteries:
- Alkaline (AA, AAA, C, D, 9V)
Bin Locations
Collection bins for this program are located on the side of the landfill and recycling bin stations. There is one collection bin per floor in every building. In general, they are located at the building's first floor main entrance and other floors' most used entrances. Additional bins are located in Learning or Math Centers.
No Sorting Required
Place your plastic writing instruments and batteries in the same bin marked for this recycling program.
Bins and Collection
Bin Need Attention? Lacking bags or tape? Bin full and overflowing?
Contact your campus Plant Ops Office.
- East, Winter Park, and SPS: plantops_east@valenciacollege.edu
- Osceola, Lake Nona, Poinciana, and Advanced Manufacturing: OSCPlantOps@valenciacollege.edu
- West: westplantopsstaffassistant@valenciacollege.edu
Program Questions
Carrie Black, Director, Energy Conservation & Sustainability
407-582-1706
As of January 2016, a single vendor (PCR America) has been identified to serve all campus locations to provide free recycling of unwanted or used printer cartridges and toners within the United States, free shipping, a small financial return per unit, and sustainability metrics reporting.
An implementation toolkit can be downloaded here. Employees can simply place their unmarked and unpackaged used ink cartridge or toner from work or home directly into the outgoing mailbox. We have partnered with Courier Services to collect and store these items at College shipping and receiving warehouses until there are enough to be shipped out on pallets. Students may bring in their used items and place them in the collection bin which can be found in any campus library.
Sustainability, Courier Services, and Procurement manage this program.
In 2015, a single vendor (EcoDepot) was identified to serve all campus locations to provide free reuse and recycling of used or broken pallets. A modest return of 0.05 cents per pallet is returned to the College.
Plant Operations manages this program.