The K-State Recycling Center is open during regular hours to the public for recycling drop-offs.
For a complete list of recyclable items click here.
Each residence hall has a large roll off containers for recyclable material and trash. You can place all of the following in the recycle container: paper products, plastic material No. 1-7, aluminum/tin cans and cardboard. No glass is permitted in the containers. The landfill container takes all nonrecyclable material. There also is a canopy tent where you can place furniture and household and electronic items. Inside each residence hall, there are four large boxes where you can place the following items: clothing, blankets and pillows, nonperishable food items and books.Living off campus? Drop off your recyclable items at the Recycling Center behind Weber Hall. Bins are accessible Monday - Friday from 5:00 am until 4:30 pm.
K-State is Big 12 winner in Recyclemania 2020
K-State is the Big 12 winner of the 2020 Recyclemania competition, which was held from Feb. 2 – March 28.
This is all part of how we come together and show our support for this great effort. Many thanks go out to the students, faculty, staff and facility custodians who recycle and empty the countless recycle bins. Congratulations on another successful campaign.
Big 12 Conference Diversion
| Ranking | Diversion, percentage pounds |
Kansas State University | 67 | 38.597 |
West Virginia University | 139 | 11.542 |
Big 12 Conference Per capita
| Ranking | Per capita, percentage pounds |
Kansas State University | 68 | 8.37 |
Iowa State University | 144 | 2.95 |
Texas Tech University | 145 | 2.87 |
West Virginia University | 150 | 2.70 |
Members of Sigma Phi Epsilon assist K-State recycling program
February 18, 2020
The K-State recycling staff thank the members of Sigma Phi Epsilon fraternity, an independent student organization, who spent their afternoon on Feb. 16 assisting with a waste audit program with the recycling department.
They sorted through more than 164 pounds of refuse and diverted 55 pounds — or 33 percent — of recycling material from entering the landfill station.
This is a great tradition to keep the drive moving throughout the year in support of the K-State recycling program. Your time and dedication show a great effort and is very much appreciated by all.
Members of Theta Xi assist K-State recycling program
February 11, 2020
The K-State recycling staff thank the members of Theta Xi fraternity, an independent student organization, and house mom Rose, who spent their afternoon on Feb. 9 assisting with a waste audit program with the recycling department.
They sorted through more than 131 pounds of refuse and diverted 29 pounds — or 22 percent — of recycling material from entering the landfill station.
This is a great tradition to keep the drive moving throughout the year in support of the K-State recycling program. Your time and dedication show a great effort and is very much appreciated by all.
K-State recycling program assisted by members of the Delta Upsilon fraternity
December 18, 2019
The K-State recycling staff thank the members of Delta Upsilon fraternity, an independent student organization, who spent their blustery Sunday afternoon on Dec. 15 assisting with a waste audit program with the recycling department.
They sorted through more than 357 pounds of refuse and diverted 115 pounds — or 32 percent — of recycling material from entering the landfill station.
This is a great tradition to keep the drive moving throughout the year in support of the K-State recycling program. Your time and dedication shows a great effort and is very much appreciated by all.
Members of Lambda Chi Alpha assist K-State recycling program
November 19, 2019
The K-State recycling staff thank the members of Lambda Chi Alpha fraternity, an independent student organization, who spent their afternoon on Nov. 17 assisting with a waste audit program with the recycling department.
They sorted through more than 254 pounds of refuse and diverted 36 pounds — or 14 percent — of recycling material from entering the landfill station.
This is a great tradition to keep the drive moving throughout the year in support of the K-State recycling program. Your time and dedication shows a great effort and is very much appreciated by all.
Recycling efforts off to great start after move-in
August 30, 2019
The K-State recycling team thanks all the students who moved into the residence hall over the past two weeks and made this university a more sustainable environment.
As shown in the chart below, K-Staters recycled 11.83 tons, or 22,460 pounds of recyclable material and only sent 1.81 tons, or 3,620 pounds of non-recyclable material to the landfill. This was K-State's best diversion rate since at least 2014 and it is impressive.
It's a great way to start the year and let's keep this great passion to recycle throughout the year.
Outstanding job!
Move-in recycling and refuse data
Date Weight of recycling Weight on-recyclable material Diversion rate
2014 3.53 7.7 31.43
2015 6.23 8.48 42.35
2016 11.3 14.53 43.74
2017 7.54 4.5 62.62
2018 13.83 5.85 70.27
2019 11.23 1.81 86.11
Recycling Center shares 2019 move-out results
June 5, 2019
K-State had another great move-out recycling campaign for 2019. During this year's move-out period, students recycled more than 2,501 pounds of bedding and clothes. All bedding went to the T. Russell Reitz Animal Shelter in Manhattan. All 675 pounds of food was donated to Cats' Cupboard for student use. We had an overall increase in recycling from the 2018 results and a slight increase in refuse. The Recycling Center thanks the Housing and Dining Services staff, recycling staff and students.
Below are the 2019 move out recycling numbers:
Move out data, in pounds | 2014 | 2015 | 2016 | 2017 | 2018 | 2019 |
Clothes/bedding | 397 | 796 | 936 | 1,241 | 1490 | 2501 |
Books | 117 | 139 | 132 | 1,576 | 960 | 817 |
Food | 576 | 0 | 310 | 637 | 425 | 675 |
Recycle material | 1,210 | 0 | 9,560 | 8,389 | 18,160 | 22,240 |
Total | 2,300 | 935 | 10,938 | 11,843 | 21,045 | 26,233 |
Refuse total | 59,500 | 56,860 | 42,440 | 42,100 | 41,680 | 49,800 |
Diversion rate | 3.72% | 1.61% | 20.49% | 21.95% | 33.55% | 34.50% |
Recycling supports 4-H Earth Week
May 13, 2019
K-State recycling supported a local 4-H Earth workshop on recycling and sustainability related concerns. During the two-day event, more than 250 students had hands-on experiences to identify and implement proper recycling procedures. In addition, they also learned how recycling by-products help reduce items that go to landfills.
Recyclemania Final Results
April 17, 2019
Kansas State University students have won the Big 12 Recyclemania challenge for 2019. They finished best in both percent diversion and pounds per capita among participating Big 12 universities. The rank among ALL participating institutions rose from 85 in 2018 to 54 in 2019. Congratulations to all who participated.
| Diversion | Rank | Percent |
| Big 12 | ||
| Kansas State | 54 | 43.4 |
| Texas | 77 | 37.3 |
| West Virginia | 104 | 28.0 |
| Per Capita | ||
| Big 12 | ||
| Kansas State | 55 | 14.6 |
| West Virginia | 106 | 9.2 |
| Texas | 113 | 8.5 |
| Texas Tech | 140 | 6.3 |
| Iowa State | 158 | 5.2 |
Acacia fraternity members assist K-State recycling program
April 10, 2019
The K-State recycling staff thanks the members of the Acacia fraternity who assisted with a recent waste audit program with the recycling department.
They sorted through 218 pounds of refuse and diverted 18 pounds — or 7 percent — of recycling material from entering the landfill station.
This is the beginning of a great tradition to keep the drive moving throughout the year in support of the K-State recycling program. Your time and dedication show a great effort and is very much appreciated by all.
K-State's recycling program is among the best. Meet the man behind it.September 7, 2018
An additional university recycling bin is located outside the south entrance.
The Union Recycling Committee encourages everyone to think about what can be reduced, reused or recycled before simply tossing it in the trash. During fall 2018 move-in, K-Staters recycled 13.83 tons of recyclable material. Take it even further by upcycling. Upcycling doesn't have to be complicated — it can be as simple as donating clothes you no longer want rather than tossing them in the dumpster. If you're ready to put this principle into action, donate new or lightly-used business professional attire to the Career Closet in the Berney Family Welcome Center. Food and hygiene items for the Cats' Cupboard food pantry can be left in the donation box to the right of the Cats' Den entrance. It doesn't take much to help the environment as well as your fellow Wildcats.
K-State Recycling
The Recycling Program (PDF) started in 1989 and is coordinated through the Division of Facilities. Grants from the Kansas Department of Health and Environment (KDHE), Alcoa, Pepsi, Coca Cola, and City/University funds made it possible to purchase recycling equipment, such as trailers, a side-load collection truck, collection bins, carts, and balers to process the material.
In 1998, the K-State Recycling Committee was formed, comprised of faculty, staff, student and Division of Facilities representatives. The committee's goal is to help expand recycling efforts across the campus and by doing so, create a more environmentally friendly campus, minimize the waste stream and decrease waste management costs.
In 2008, the former Wind Erosion Research building was damaged by a tornado and in 2012 became the new K-State Recycling Center.
