Let's talk trash: What should I do with used batteries, bulbs, and similar waste?

What should you do with things like spent batteries, fluorescent light bulbs, mercury-containing equipment, cathode-ray tubes (CRT’s), pesticides and spent aerosol cans? At Western, these are considered Universal Waste. Often these are looked at as “household waste” but, since WWU is a large entity, we are not allowed to dispose of these items in the same manner as a private household would.

First, don’t throw them in the trash! The simple answer is to collect the waste items and, when ready, contact WWu's Environmental Health and Safety office (EHS) to schedule a pickup. EHS then ensures proper processing and disposal of the waste.

Personal-use batteries can be recycled in the Viking Union lobby near the VU Market.

If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to contact EHS for assistance at (360) 650-3064 or ehs@wwu.edu. To request a waste collection, go to hazwaste.wwu.edu, enter your email and follow through the prompts to list the wastes you wish to dispose of and where we can pick them up.

Thank you for helping us keep this waste out of the environment!

- The EHS Team