See inside:

Recycling on Capitol Hill:

 What...

 Where...

 and Why!
Reduce, Reuse 

& Recycle

when you

Retire

Renovate

and

Renew

office space

and equipment

Promoting resource conservation through energy 

efficiency, waste reduction, and recycling.

Who is your office’s

recycling liaison?

This person serves as the 

primary point of contact 

to answer questions and 

promote the recycling 

program. Recycling 

programs often start 

when one person, or a few 

people, lead by example. 

It doesn’t have to be 

difficult or time-consuming. 

A few simple measures 

can make a big difference.

Start with the 3 R’s:

Reduce the amount of materials you consume by 

conserving, planning ahead, and going digital.

Reuse everyday materials instead of wasting disposable 

materials with each individual use.

Recycle materials according to the recycling program in 

your building to prevent landfill waste.

Then, add 3 more:

Retire

U Replace outmoded energy-intensive equipment with 

 new Energy Star models.

U Get rid of old appliances and equipment with toxic 

 chemicals and refrigerants.

U Contact the AOC to properly dispose of your old 

 electronics and equipment. 

Replace

U aging office equipment with multi-functional, networked 

 equipment to increase usable space.

Renovate

U your office space for maximum efficiency with smaller, 

 wireless printer/copiers, and devices.

U Plug all equipment into smart strips.

U Place shared equipment in smaller, accessible locations.

U Improve productivity with less clutter and more efficient 

 workstations. 

U Choose natural, sustainable, low-VOC materials for good 

 indoor air quality.

Energy Star

The energy star website is a great starting point to 

find computers, printers, fax machines, etc. to replace 

your existing, non-efficient equipment . Whether you 

need a desktop, laptop or a new 

office copier, links and information 

about equipment can be found at: 

http://www.energystar.gov/

CONTACT US

For additional recycling bins and 

other questions:

House Office Buildings and 

U.S. Capitol, House side only: 

 225-4141

Senate Office Buildings and 

U.S. Capitol, Senate side only: 

 224-6344

Capitol: 

http://capitol.aoc.gov/programs/

Recycling-Program.cfm

House: 

http://house.aoc.gov/programs/

Recycling/index.cfm
http://www.aoc.gov/powertosave/

What goes

Where?

Separate waste into the 

appropriate recycling bins: 

Paper and Newspaper:

U copy/printer paper

U stapled paper & reports

U manila file folders

U colored paper

U envelopes, post-it notes, etc.

U newsletters, magazines

 & books

U newspapers and 

 Congressional records or 

 Federal registers with 

 newsprint

Bottles and Cans:

U glass bottles

U plastic bottles

U all cans

 Empty all liquids. 

 Rinse tin cans.

 Lids are okay.

Fact:

In 2007, the House 

recycled approximately 

1,400 tons of paper.

FAQs

Q: When will my compostables, 

landfill waste, and recycling be 

collected? 

A: AOC staff empties recycling 

containers every evening, Monday 

through Friday. 

Q: What about cardboard boxes - 

how can I recycle them?

A: Break the boxes down and place 

them next to your recycling container. 

Q: Can I recycle light bulbs with 

glass and aluminum? 

A: No. Call the AOC for pick up, 

or place them outside your office 

marked “pickup.” 

Q: With all this recycling and 

composting going on, what needs 

to be thrown in the garbage? 

A: Candy wrappers, styrofoam, 

plastic wrap, potato chip bags, plastic 

lids (from coffee and soup cups), 

photographs, old pens, yogurt 

containers, and carry-out containers from non-House restaurants are 

among the items which are 

considered trash and must be 

landfilled. 

Q: Can I put plastic food containers 

in with plastic bottles? 

A: No. Food containers that are 

not compostable need to be placed 

in waste.

Where to start?

Generally, it is best to start where there is a big, 

easy waste reduction potential – paper! 

Paper,Paper, Everywhere...

	 •	 The largest component of the waste stream

 is office paper

	 •	 Most of the office paper is printed on one

 side only

	 •	 Substantial amounts of new, or barely used,

 stationery items are thrown in the trash.

Make a difference. 

	 •	 Don’t print early drafts that need work

	 •	 Circulate electronic drafts by email, not

 paper copies, for review

	 •	 Print final drafts only in the number you

 actually need

	 •	 Always print and copy double-sided

	 •	 Recycle waste paper in the correct bin.

Office Bulk Cleanouts

Call ahead and order a blue recycling truck for 

all your paper and broken down cardboard

Computers & Electronics 

Drop off toner cartridges, batteries, cell phones

and electronic devices at convenient locations. 

Electronic waste including computers needs to 

be recycled. Call the AOC for details.

Dos & Don’ts 

Be careful not to contaminate the recycling 

bins with non-recyclables. Do not mix food

and liquids with paper.

Did you know? 

The AOC currently recycles scrap metal, toner 

cartridges, batteries, sawdust, e-waste, plastic, 

pallets, ceiling tiles, concrete and brick, and 

carpet.
Check out these Web sites for recycling tips, tools, and 

solutions for public sector office buildings and facilities.

Architect of the Capitol:

http://www.aoc.gov/powertosave/

Green the Capitol Initiative

http://cao.house/greenthecapitol/

Energy Efficiency Tips

http://www.energysavers.gov/

Energy Star® products

http://www.energystar.gov

EPA

http://www.epa.gov/

GSA

http://www.gsa.gov/

Natural Resources Defense Council

http://www.nrdc.org/

Environmental Defense Fund

http://www.edf.org/

Electronic Product Environmental Assessment Tool

http://www.epeat.net/