University of Illinois Chicago
IN-4: Innovation 4

UIC has added to its recycling program, #5 polypropylene plastic from pipette tip boxes, lids and trays found in Life and Medical Science Laboratories. Specially-marked bins have been placed near laboratories that use #5 polypropylene plastic, and will be recycled and eventually turned into other uses such as agricultural trays for plants. Currently UIC has recycled over 2 tons of #5 polypropylene plastic. Because this sort of plastic is not biologically or chemically contaminated, UIC is able to recycle it receive additional benefits from the recycling companies. These include no tipping fee and receiving $100 per ton recycled because the recycling company can later sell this material because of its higher quality, and uncontaminated state. This program is a highly sustainable initiative on campus because it reduces the amount of plastic that is landfilled, and also provides plastic recycling companies with plastic that would have otherwise been extracted from natural resources. This creates a positive environmental benefit for UIC, while also reducing economic costs associated with the tipping fee.