Bemidji State University collaborates with its local waste managers of Beltrami County’s Solid Waste Management Department. Though resources shared on this page provide insight into waste and recycling efforts, it is necessary to know the policies and programs of your regional waste management and recycling authority.

BSU is currently able to recycles materials in the following categories:

  • Fiber products
  • Corrugated cardboard
  • Container products
  • Electronic equipment
  • Electronic Media and Related Products
  • Miscellaneous Materials

Fiber Products

Fiber products include most all paper products such as:

  • Books (covers should be removed from hardcover books)
  • Business cards
  • Computer paper
  • Envelopes
  • Folders
  • Magazines
  • News paper
  • Note Books
  • Office Paper
  • Phone books and other directories
  • Post-its™ and other “stickies” (glued edge should be removed)
  • Pressed cardboard (like cereal boxes)

Fiber products are picked up from your office or work area by the custodial staff serving your area. They may also be placed in the blue recycling containers located throughout campus.

Corrugated Cardboard

Though corrugated cardboard is a fiber product, it is collected separately from other fiber products. It must be clean and boxes and similar bulky materials should be flattened. Contact the custodian serving your area or call Building Services at 2062 for academic buildings or 3755 for residential life buildings to find out where you may place cardboard for recycling.

Container Products

Container products include:

  • Metal cans
  • Glass bottles and jars (rinse container and remove lids)
  • #2 Plastic bottles with necks (rinse container and remove lids)

Collection bins for container products are located throughout campus. Empty the containers and remove and discard caps and lids before recycling them. Tub plastic such as pails, buckets and margarine tubs are not acceptable for recycling at this time.

Electronic Equipment

Computers and other electronic and electrical products often contain hazardous materials that can harm the environment. These items may not be placed in the trash and are included in the campus recycling program. Items in this category include:

  • Computers
  • Printers
  • Monitors
  • Televisions
  • Tape players
  • CD players
  • Video camera
  • Radios
  • Copy machines
  • Lighting ballasts
  • Fluorescent lamps
  • Metal Halide lamps
  • High pressure sodium lamps
  • Compact fluorescent lamps

Only equipment owned by Bemidji State University may be recycled through the BSU recycling program. The Beltrami County Transfer Station, located in the Bemidji Industrial Park, accepts electronic equipment from county residents.

The campus Inventory Control office must be contacted to arrange for removal and recycling of durable products such as computers and audio-visual equipment. Inventory Control can be contacted at (218) 755-2776.

Electronic Media and Related Products

The following items can be recycled:

  • Diskettes
  • Floppy disks
  • Zip disks
  • Zip drives, Jazz drives and jump drives
  • CD, CD-Rs, CD-RWs
  • DVDs
  • Video tape (i.e. VHS)
  • Audio tape
  • DAT, DLT, Beta or Digibeta and virtually all other type of computer tapes
  • Jewel cases

This service is currently intended for items generated by BSU faculty, staff and students as part of their work and studies. There is no charge to BSU employees or students, but there is a cost to the university for recycling these materials. Therefore, it is requested that you do not use the service to recycle personal items.

Also, please note that this is not considered a secure process. Therefore, before the media can be recycled, you must remove any data or information subject to data privacy laws or information that is considered sensitive to university operations. For more information regarding security and privacy of data, please refer to MnSCU policy 5.23 Security.

Items to be recycled can be placed in a designated collection bin located in the Sustainability Office on the first floor of the lower Student Union or you may arrange to have items picked up by contacting the Sustainability Office at (218) 755-2560.

Miscellaneous Materials

Contact Environmental Health & Safety to have the following items picked up for recycling:

  • Packing “peanuts”
  • Bubble wrap
  • Scrap metal

Privately owned items such as furniture, clothing, electronics, books and household items that are still usable can be offered to local groups such as the Clothing Depot, Goodwill and area churches. Members of the BSU Campus Ministry Association occasionally provide similar opportunities on campus. The Beltrami County Transfer Station, located in the Bemidji Industrial Park, also accepts usable items and makes them available for redistribution.

Please contact Environmental Health & Safety at (218) 755-2545 if you have questions about recycling these items or any other aspects of the recycling program.

Additional Resources