OWRR Design Guidelines

Design considerations for waste and recycling containers must be based on the building’s usage and occupancy. In addition to indoor recycling, a building must, at a minimum, have access to a dumpster for trash, one for cardboard and outdoor recycling carts.

When the building contains food service operations, containers and exterior space must be allocated for grease collection and food waste recycling. Animal labs and quarters require exterior space for the collection of animal bedding for composting. Theatres, art studios, and maintenance shops often produce bulky waste that cannot be collected in front load dumpsters. Any building containing offices will generate some quantity of high grade waste paper (all purpose printer paper from computer labs, copiers, printers, and routine administrative business) and must have loading dock or service area access for paper collection. Residence Halls require extra refuse and recycling containers.

UNC-Chapel Hill collects the following materials for recycling:

• Animal Bedding—Collected on the interior by the animal lab staff, and then stored outside for pickup
• Bottles & Cans—Collected throughout the building on a space usage basis and in outdoor carts (especially in high volume areas like residence halls, catering areas, dining halls, etc.)
• Cardboard—Housekeeping brings flattened boxes out of the building to dumpsters outside
• Food Waste—Collected at kitchen areas inside and then stored outside for pick up
• Grease—Collected at dining facilities and picked up by outside contractors
• Newspaper & Magazines—Collected throughout the building on a space usage basis and in outdoor carts (especially in high volume areas such as residence halls, libraries, etc.)
• Office Paper—Collected throughout the building on a space usage basis
• Scrap Metal—Collected at shops and taken to county or in-house facilities
• Clean Wood Waste—Collected at shops and taken to county or in-house facilities

The information on this page can be found in the UNC Design Guidelines, Chapter I. General Principles, Section F. Waste Management, A. Site and Space Planning for Recycling and Solid Waste Management.