Sort It Out

Why sort?

At UBC, we separate most of our waste into four streams: food scraps, containers, paper and garbage. Using UBC recycling stations to sort food scraps and recyclables out of the garbage means these materials will be reused and diverted from landfills. You’ll see Sort it Out stations conveniently placed across campus. 

Avoiding landfill

By 2030, UBC will apply a circular economy lens to enable a 50% reduction in waste, progressing toward a zero-waste community.

To achieve this, we need the help of everyone in the UBC community to ensure that recyclable and compostable items are sorted in the proper bins. 

Garbage rotting in landfills increases the risk of soil, water and air pollution, and creates the greenhouse gas methane that is twenty times worse than carbon dioxide (CO₂). Garbage is often caused by contamination, created when certain materials are mixed into the wrong bin and cannot be removed. This makes it hard to recycle properly because an otherwise reusable resource has to be sent the landfill.

Do your part and Sort It Out.