Sustainable Materials Management
Creighton is committed to sustainability through effective materials management, striving for a 25% reduction in campus waste by 2028 and targeting a 35% waste diversion rate. Your mindful choices in material use and disposal significantly reduce waste and greenhouse gas emissions for a more sustainable campus and community. Discover how you can help Creighton divert materials from the landfill to minimize our environmental footprint.
Composting on Campus
In August 2020, the Office of Sustainability Programs, Students Union, and Housing and Auxiliary Services collaborated to initiate Creighton’s first composting program in partnership with Hillside Solutions. This program involves collecting post-consumer food waste on campus, diverting it from landfills, and reducing Creighton's greenhouse gas emissions. Compost bins at Brandeis Dining Hall and along the California Street Pedestrian Mall are stationed to collect compostable items, including food scraps, fruit peels, coffee grounds, and paper products.
Hillside Solutions collects nearly 500 pounds of compost from campus weekly, transporting it to their dedicated industrial composting farms. As a result, Creighton receives over a ton of nutrient-rich soil sourced from campus compost, distributed monthly to support community gardens in the Omaha metro area."
Why should I compost?
Climate Change Mitigation: Scientifically proven to contribute to climate change mitigation by reducing greenhouse gas emissions.
Greenhouse Gas Reduction: Composting significantly cuts methane emissions, a potent greenhouse gas, by preventing anaerobic decomposition.
Waste Reduction: Composting diverts organic waste from landfills, reducing the overall volume of waste.
Soil Enrichment: Compost is a nutrient-rich soil conditioner that enhances soil structure, promotes water retention, and provides essential nutrients for plant growth.
Conservation of Resources: Composting reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, leading to resource conservation and cost savings.
Increased Agricultural Productivity: The nutrient-rich compost improves soil fertility, fostering healthier plants and increasing agricultural productivity.
Soil Enrichment: Compost is a nutrient-rich soil conditioner that enhances soil structure, promotes water retention, and provides essential nutrients for plant growth.
Conservation of Resources: Composting reduces the need for chemical fertilizers, leading to resource conservation and cost savings.
Increased Agricultural Productivity: The nutrient-rich compost improves soil fertility, fostering healthier plants and increasing agricultural productivity.
Recycling on Campus
Facilities Management oversees Creighton University’s waste management and recycling program. Campus recycling is single-stream, allowing CLEAN paper, cardboard, plastic, and metal to be placed in any campus recycling bin unless indicated otherwise.
EPS (Expandable Polystyrene), more commonly called Styrofoam, can be dropped off for recycling in Criss II/III 250. Place EPS in bags provided at collection site and remove all stickers and tape.
GLASS SHOULD NOT be placed in campus single-stream recycling bins; instead, it can be recycled at the Community Recycling Drop-off site on the corner of 17th and Burt. 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (April through August) and 7:30 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. (September through March). Additional information about special recycling and disposal is provided below.
Image
Glass can be recycled at the nearby Northeast Drop-Off Site located at 17th & Burt Streets (outside Jelinek Building) daily between 7:30 a.m. and 8 p.m. (April through August) and 7:30 a.m. - 6 p.m. (September through March)
Rechargeable batteries, empty aerosol cans, lightbulbs other than incandescent, mercury-containing devices: The EPA and NDEQ require us to recycle these items. Please contact our Chemical Coordinator, Mary Duda for assistance with recycling these items.
Scrap Metal and Large Quantities of Items: Please fill out a work order.
Lab Equipment: For disposal of medical or scientific lab equipment, please contact our Chemical Coordinator, Mary Duda.
Visit Wasteline for more information about City of Omaha recycling.
Refrigerators and Freezers: Refrigerators, freezers, and any other items containing freon or other refrigerants must be disposed of through Facilities Management, in order to comply with EPA regulations about the collection, storage, tracking, and disposal of refrigerants. Please put in a work order with Facilities Management to have the item removed using the Service Request Form. Include the department fund/org to cover the shop hours needed to complete this process. Refrigerators, freezers, etc. must not be removed by vendors such as Nebraska Furniture Mart, Midland Scientific, etc.
- Food scraps
(including meat, bones, and dairy) - Paper products
(including dirty paper towels, paper food containers, and greasy cardboard) - Coffee grounds, tea bags, and wood
Image
Image
Clean Paper
Including:
- Office/notebook paper
- Magazines
- Newspaper
Metal
Including:
- Aluminum and steel cans
- Aluminum foil
Plastic
#1, #2, #3, #5
Including plastic cups/lids
Cardboard
Including flattened boxes
Additional Cardboard Locations
Extra-large cardboard boxes can be recycled in two locations: 1. On the first floor of Creighton Hall, near the vending machines and ; 2. Outside, to the west of Skutt Student Center. Please break down boxes before you place them in a bin, thank you!
For more details on recycling in Omaha, refer to Wasteline and any specific queries about recyclables can be addressed using First Star Recycling's Guide.
Items below cannot go into the bins at the community recycling drop-off location. When possible, please reuse items such as plastic bags. If items cannot be reused, please place them in a landfill receptacle.
- Plastic bags/wrapping
- Candy/snack wrappers
- Plastic utensils
- Condiment packets
- Chip bags
- Styrofoam
- Batteries
- Wires
- Pens/pencils
- Straws
- Paper cups
- Shipping pouches
- Toothpaste tubes
Image
