As students move into residence halls this week, they’ll spot something blue in the rooms.

Recycling bins are being distributed in residence hall rooms. South Dakota State University received a 2017 Coca-Cola / Keep America Beautiful Public Space Recycling Bin Grant. Along with funding from residential life to buy 700 more bins, around 2,300 bins will be placed in nearly 2,250 rooms on campus.

As part of the grant, SDSU will track and report the number of recyclables collected in the bins for one year.

The city of Brookings uses a single-stream recycling process, meaning all recyclables–like paper, plastic or cardboard–can commingle. The materials will be separated at a processing facility. Using one bin for many different recyclable items creates the collection process efficient.

The university has a recycling guide to help students with recycling.

Being cautious of food and residue is necessary. It creates a risk for grease or food to transfer from a plastic, metal, or glass container to paper materials. Paper materials cannot be recycled with residue on it. Avoiding any cross-contamination by cleaning recyclables and keeping food out of the bin is important with a single-stream process.

To learn more about recycling or sustainability at SDSU, visit the sustainability homepage.