New Plastic Bag Recycling Bins Provided on Campus

Drexel University’s Real Estate and Facilities has teamed up with the Fresh Grocer supermarket to provide two recycling bins on Drexel’s University City Campus for plastic bags and plastic film, which cannot be recycled through the regular University single-stream recycling program. The bins are located in the Recreation Center Lobby (33rd and Market streets) and by the Information Desk in the Creese Student Center (32nd and Chestnut streets).

“It’s critically important for the University community to understand that we can’t accept plastic bags and film through our regular comingled recycling stream, because this type of material clogs up the equipment used to process our recyclables,” explained Scott Dunham, Director of Grounds. “But we know that bags and film make up a large volume of plastic waste, so we are pleased to be able to provide a couple of places right here on campus where community members can dispose of these materials.”

Only clean, dry, empty plastic bags and film will be accepted for recycling. Click here for a list of examples and best practices. Do not place these items in the regular recycling bins around campus, as they will contaminate the load, possibly rendering it ineligible for recycling. You can search for other locations in your community that will accept plastic bags and film at plasticfilmrecycling.org.

The plastic bags and film collected on campus will be processed the same way the bags and film collected at Fresh Grocer supermarket locations are. Read more about the supermarket’s sustainability program here.

In addition to plastic bags and film, you can drop off batteries for recycling in the Creese Student Center Lobby and several other locations on campus, listed here. Have questions about Drexel’s recycling program? Visit drexel.edu/recycling or email recycling@drexel.edu.