Illinois State University is in a very unique situation. We are allowed to collect our paper in the form of mixed paper. This means that high grades of paper, such as white office paper, and lower grades of paper such, as newspaper, Post-It Notes, and colored paper, can all be recycled in one bin. The processing center sorts the paper by industry standards, allowing them to receive more money for the material when they ship it to the paper mill. While ISU is allowed to recycle a wide variety of paper items, not all items can be recycled in the paper recycling bins.
Contaminants can be anything from ream wrapper, to a plastic cup, to Kleenex .
Contaminants decrease the quality of the paper waste stream and present big problems for processors and mills. Items such as plastic bags or Styrofoam cups that make their way into recycled paper can cause serious damage to equipment and shut down mills for days while they are repaired. Remember to check the acceptable list here or the acceptable list on the intermediate container before depositing your paper in the recycling bin. Old Books Re-selling and reusing used library and text books is an easy way to recycle on campus. Even so, a waste study showed many books were being thrown away in the trash containers.