Recycling and disposal

Owned by Vicki Denby
Last updated: Jun 07, 2024
4 min read

Recycling, Waste Disposal, Avoiding Duplication

Following these shared guidelines can help keep our workrooms well-organized and safe for staff and material.


Recycling:

  • Reuseable archival supplies can appear when a collection is reboxed. If the supplies are archival, clean, and in good condition, ask the end processor for guidance. If there is space, we may save them, providing they could be added to the overflow of a product we already stock. If we don't stock or use that particular supply, we may offer them to another library within TSAASP. Often they can be transported for us in blue bins provided by the HARVARD MAIL SERVICES (HUMS). See:  HD Circulation in Pusey Technical Services.
  • Other sorts of reuseable supplies or tools, etc. can be donated periodically to recycling events on campus: https://www.energyandfacilities.harvard.edu/facilities-services/recycling-waste-management. The Librarian's office will notify staff when such events occur, and provide instructions.
  • Individual recycle bins:  If you use a small personal blue recycle bin at your workstation, keep in mind that it's easier for custodial staff to have to empty fewer bins. But especially, take larger items like folded up corrugated board, etc. to the shared trash area by the elevator so whether or not something is trash doesn't become guess work for them. If anything seems like it could be ambiguous, it doesn't hurt to leave a note "Trash" taped to the item/s.

Waste Disposal:

  • Disposing of (selected) Collection Material (Appraisal)
    • Curators decide when to dispose of items in a collection, whether they be duplicates, or blank pages, notebook covers, etc.
      • consult the archivist for the preferred disposal methods
      • if a cloth outer box with call number, description, or donor information is being discarded, ask about whether to destroy that information before discarding
    • Accessioning archivists often discard non-archival donor/dealer storage boxes or things like mylar sleeves, frames, non-archival interleaving paper and padding
    • End processors may also sometimes discard or inquire about discarding these same kinds of things
      • For such non-collection related items follow the Outgoing trash guidelines below
  • Outgoing trash (P1)
    • use area by elevator (not public areas of Pusey)
    • everyone is responsible for keeping trash neat & area reigned in
    • never obscure a “sharp (glass), etc.” sign with your own trash
    • box/pack all dangerous items, pins, nails, blades, sharp wires separately and mark as sharp
    • flatten cardboard boxes whenever possible
    • keep trash as close to wall as possible; keep walkway clear
    • we have our own vacuum, if (occasionally) necessary
    • use broom & dustpan for excessive scattered waste too large for vacuum
    • mark any potentially confusing items as “TRASH” 
    • keep collection material away from trash (or mark ”NOT TRASH”)
    • be mindful that removal of unusual, large, heavy things can take up to 3 days
    • ask for help or advice for difficult items
    • consider removing or crossing out old labels to avoid confusion
    • frames:
      • do not try to pack or separate out glass from frames (returning glass to frames makes it less likely to break and easier to handle).
      • open up our largest white folder and tape it lightly on one side of the  table you are using so it doesn’t slip around.
      • (metal frames): disassemble just one end of the frame; discard hanging hardware and wires if possible; reassemble and mark “careful, sharp (glass)”
      • (wooden frames): remove nails or brads, remove artwork; keep glass in place in the frame and replace backing material; discard hardware and wires
      • (all frames): brush surface off into wastebasket periodically to minimize very tiny glass shards sticking to artwork, etc. 
      • when done, wipe table down thoroughly with LIGHTLY moistened paper towel, and dry well with a dry paper towel
      • (all frames): cover any non-removable sharp areas with wide tape if possible
      • (all frames): use strip of wide tape to hold glass in place on all 4 sides
      • be mindful of things possibly reuseable outside of Houghton use a dedicated plastic bin or separate box for empty frames, mark “careful, sharp (glass)”
      • be mindful of preventing empty frames from tipping over in a box or bin  

 
SEE BELOW:

Flatten boxes (not like this picture) to keep walkway clear and leave room for your coworkers' trash. Help keep trash as close to wall as possible.

Custodial staff pick up trash before 9 am with larger blue recycle bins. Flattening boxes whenever possible makes their job easier too.

Taping glass to empty frames in several places (USE WIDE TAPE) and organizing minimizes risk of injury. Be sure to also put a "Careful - Glass" sign on them too.  And don't obscure any signs that others have already put up.                             

                                                                                                                            

Avoiding Duplication

  • Office Supplies (Pusey 1)
    • always check Houghton G supply/photocopy) area before requesting items
    • use up lined pads, post-its instead of grabbing a new one
    • always check empty drawers in vacated cubicles for re-usable supplies
    • mark rolled measuring tapes with staff’s name or area to be kept; remove labels for re-use
    • supply new staff workstations with a few basic items before they arrive
    • once every year or so “spring cleaning” of one’s personal workspace to address clutter, etc.
    • be mindful of accumulating supplies that are outdated, or never used
    • here is list of shared supplies that can be restocked by contacting Le Huong via a teams message
      • tissue
      • nitrile gloves
      • face masks (COVID)
      • hand sanitizer
      • paper towels (folded and rolled)
    • here is a list of items often found in the Houghton (G level) supply/photocopy area
      • scissors
      • tape dispensers and tape
      • rulers
      • claw-type staple removers (not archival)
      • staplers and staples
      • boxes of pens, pencils, markers
      • letter openers
      • magnifying glasses
      • rubber bands
      • paper clips
      • pads of lined paper (new and partially used)
      • post-it pads
      • miscellaneous leftover office supplies of any kind