Waste Management

Confederation College utilizes centralized sorting – a type of waste management system where trash and recyclable materials are collected and sorted at easy to access locations to eliminate the need for individual waste and recycle bins in classrooms and offices. All waste sorting stations are in hallways or common areas throughout campus – no bins are available in classrooms. Click here to get your answers to FAQs about centralized sorting on campus.

Based on recommendations from our most recent Waste Audit, we are using centralized sorting to reduce waste stream contamination (when waste ends up in the wrong stream), increase our waste diversion rate (the amount of waste we divert from the landfill through recycling or reusing), and providing new opportunities for waste diversion across our campus.

General Waste Disposal

We separate our waste on campus into four main streams: 

  • Containers (recycle): plastics 1-7, juice boxes, milk cartons, pop and metal cans, glass, plastic clamshells 
  • Fibre/Paper (recycle): magazines, newspaper. Notebooks, used paper, soft cover books, egg cartons, clean cardboard
  • Organics: all food waste including meat, bread, cheese, pizza, French fries, fruit, vegetables, etc.
  • Landfill: single use cups, food wrappers, candy and gum

Follow signage near waste sorting stations to determine where your waste should go. If you create waste in a classroom, it is your responsibility to dispose of it at a waste sorting station.

waste management

Outside Waste Disposal

Our Thunder Bay campus has two streams for outside waste disposal:

  • Containers (recycle): plastics 1-7, juice boxes, milk cartons, pop and metal cans, glass, plastic clamshells
  • Landfill: single use cups, food wrappers, candy, gum, etc.

Reuse Initiatives

Ongoing reuse opportunities are hosted and available throughout the year, keep an eye out for these opportunities:

  • The Free Stuff Station is available outside the Library on the second floor, providing school and office supplies to anyone in need in the college community. Items can be left on the table or cart at any time.
  • Trash to Treasure Day is held near the beginning of the start of each semester to allow staff and students to bring in gently used home and kitchenware items. Items left of the designated tables during the day are available for anyone to take and reuse in their home. Any items left over at the end of the day are donated to a community organization. 
  • Clothing Drives are held throughout the year to allow staff and students the opportunity to donate unwanted clothing items for students to rediscover.

Textile Recycling

Textile recycling is available on the Thunder Bay campus. We work with Sic Sox Circular Ltd. to provide a drop-off location for: household and industrial textiles in all conditions; bedding, towels, and pillows in all conditions; clothing in all conditions; gently used shoes and handbags; and stuffed animals. Gently used donations will be cleaned and resold online or at the Sic Sox thrift store location. Landfill quality material will be diverted to a shredder to break down textiles into usable fibers with the goal of turning these fibers into an industry approved housing insulation product.

The Sic Sox box is located in Parking Lot M by the McIntyre Building.

Battery Recycling

Battery recycling is available on each campus. At the Thunder Bay campus, battery recycling is available in each building and publicly accessible battery recycling bins have been established. Battery recycling is available for all students, staff, and the public. We collect single use and reusable batteries that weigh less than 5 kg including alkaline, lithium primary, lithium-ion, nickel cadmium, small-sealed lead acid, nickel metal hydride, and nickel zinc.

Cigarette Butt Recycling

We participate in cigarette butt recycling to reduce the number of butts that end up in the landfill or on the ground. Cigarette butt disposal units are located at designated smoking areas and near main walkways across campus – your butt belongs in one of these units and not on the ground!

PPE Recycling

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) Recycling is available in the Health Centre and in Health Labs on campus. Items such as disposable gloves, masks, safety glasses, and COVID suites are collected in the designated bins and either recovered or recycled to avoid going to the landfill.

Upcoming Initiatives

Ryan Hall Waste Sorting Station

To maximize waste reduction and decrease contamination in one of our highest volume areas, we will be adding an easy to use and dedicated waste sorting station in Ryan Hall. This sorting station will make recycling and organic separation simple!