Single vs. Dual Stream Recycling

What is Single Stream Recycling?

In 2012, all Housing Department buildings, including all the residence halls, were converted to a Single Stream Recycling collection process. This process means "Containers" and "Papers" can go in one recycling bin. Please keep cardboard separate in the "Cardboard Only" bins because cardboard takes up too much space in the single stream bins.

Benefits of single stream collection system include:

  • Consolidation of the types of recycling to onemain grade.
  • Only onerecycling bin needed in the residence hall rooms.
  • Potential increase in participation due to ease of use.
  • Less collection routes to pick up the recycling from the housing buildings.

Reasons why it makes sense to have single stream recycling in housing but not the rest of campus:

  • Recycling collections from housing building dock areas are automatedand do not require that someone gointo the building to collect the materials.
  • Recycling in a residentialsetting tends to have more low grade paper materials, reducing the down cycling of any high grade paper due to contamination from juices/sauces/liquids/etc.
  • Lack of extraspace in each residence hall room for a twobin recycling system to keep containersseparate from papers.
  • Ease of use for students in the residence halls with a onebin system.

What is Dual Stream Recycling?

During the 2009-10 Academic year, CU Recycling converted to an Enhanced Dual Stream (EDS) collection process in all the academic and administrative buildings.

Benefits of the Dual Stream collection system include:

  • Consolidation of the types of recycling bins to twomain grades (Containers and Papers).
  • A larger variety of plastics collected in the “Containers” grade (#1-#7 plastic bottles, tubs and jars).
  • Larger amounts of paper accepted in all “Papers” bins (any type of paper fiber).
  • Increased ability to recycle low grade papers (magazines, phonebooks, paperboard).
  • Increased ability to recycle all “Papers” in the desk side recycling bins.
  • Maintaining high quality paper fibers by keeping the containers separate.